Sniffing smallies - question....

[BoxMN]

Okay you smallie pros, I have a question for you. I am on a little lake with good population of lmb and smb. Very small, 200 acre very clear lake. Each weekend I usually catch a smallie or lmb in about the 18"-19" size as biggest, with biggest being about 22.5" so far in about ten years, with average smallies caught in the 16-17" range, and lmb average about 13-14" range. Just giving that info to let you know background of the type bass in lake. Also tons of small sunnies and stunted pike.

I see smallies swim by the dock every day, schools of 2-7 and they look big. I did manage to get one over the side of the pontoon while tied to the dock with a 4" senko wacky rigged. It was 16" but had bigger ones with her.

So my question - I have been seeing them come up to topwaters, senkos, tubes, jigs and just "sniffing" them or nudging them, but not biting them or inhaling or even sucking them. I am thinking that since I can see them, they can see me, and then they are just curious and not wanting to bite. But how the heck can I get them to bite, or is it just a fact that the lures I have at the time are not what they want? No gassy smell on lures, and sometimes right fromo the package. I just can't find way to get them to bite sometimes, and wondering what tricks you guys use when you know bass are there but they won't bite.

I must say that I often tie direct to power pro or fireline, so it could be they see the "rope" tied to the lure...?... would a mono or flouro tippet help much in this clear water?

Thanks for reading all the way through my long post and any tips you have.

[RK]

Hey Box -

One of my favorite fishing quotes, from Al Lindner, is a catch-all explanation for stuff like this:

"When they don't wanna, they don't wanna..."

To me when smallies are bumping lures it's a sign that they're curious but not really interested in eating anything. I see this at my cabin when smallies park under my dock now and then. They'll come look at stuff but won't bite it, especially when they know you're there. About the only thing I've gotten them to bite is a leech on a light wire hook with no weight that you jiggle and mess with until it's swimming right at them under the dock... A weightless crawler works sometimes too. Even then they don't always bite.

For cruisers the other extreme is to try to trigger them with something wild and erratic like a jerk shad or a really heavy tube jig popped off the bottom. Sometimes their curiosity and aggressive nature just gets the better of them. Sometimes... It might not work any better than a weightless leech frankly, but it's more entertaining.

Smallies are weird. It's just that simple.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[river rat316]

Go with the reaction strike theory, burn a spinnerbait across their face as fast as you can reel it, they will either take off or strike at it, make sure you are using a trailer hook though, cause most of the strikes end up short with the bait moving so fast.

[swampbuck]

yep their smallies you NEVER have them figured out they are a lot like gals just keep trying differnt baits and colors sometimes its that simple, usually they are just stubborn hit them at the right time and it doesnt matter what ou throw they will eat

[TonkaBass]

Make them curious and you are one step closer to making them bite. One of the best ways to spike their interest is to pull it away from them. But other times they will drive you a little closer to the looney bin! Just keep at them and you will figure them out...

[carpmanjake]

Make them curious and you are one step closer to making them bite. One of the best ways to spike their interest is to pull it away from them. But other times they will drive you a little closer to the looney bin! Just keep at them and you will figure them out...

well said.

adding a long flouro leader wont hurt either

[shortfatguy]

I fish some mine pits for bass. The water is crystal clear. A lot of times the bass will nip at or follow a bait without biting. I think the really clear water gives them a better look at the lure and they realize something just isnt right. I have found that a jumbo leech or a minnow on a plain hook with no weight almost always convinces these fish to bite if they shy away from the lures.

[Irish]

Try a suspending jerkbait sometimes they can't resist one sitting right in front of their faces.

[JP Z]

Use a Leech free lined on a light wire hook..........they can't resist it. Or a sucker minnow freelined as well works. That's right LIVE BAIT, sometimes it the magic ticket when it comes to finicky smallies.

[EBass]

If they won't hit a senko they just aren't biting:) Try going to mono or floro for line, or tie on a mono/floro leader if you think that would help.

[BoxMN]

Thanks all. I am going to try some flouro line and mono/flouro tippets to see if that helps. I am also going ot try more jig/worm style, or jig grub as that has worjed well in past.

I agree with the curiousity aspect, ha! I have "called" then in by slapping a rake (lawn rake) next to the dock and then come in to see what it is. My grandson caught a nice one that came in to see what the rake was all about, a couple years ago. They also come up and stare my lab/golden down in the shallow water, it is pretty funny to see three smallies staring at a big dog!

Thanks for the tips. I am downsizing a bit on senkos, trying more invisible line, and also trying some ripping it by their faces. Will report back later I will be up there for a week now, so plenty of time to test it all out!!!

Thanks!

[Duffman]

If you really want to catch 'em Box, call 'em in and get them trained to almost take a leech directly from your hand. It's going to cost ya some in leeches, but it will work. After they have fully gained your trust, you just toss them one with a hook attached.

[Mr. Pike1]

Box, I was up an the inlaws cabin and for the most part pounded the smallies. My go go to baits there are no secret.

I use senko's and tubes around the docks. Top water and small cranks over the rocks and around the shoreline where the shady spots are.

Now something I have been using recently with fantastic success is also not a secret lure but not talked about as much as they should be. The simple number two or three Mepps spinner ( I like the number two with gold or silver blade and at times add a twister tail). The other one is a bettle spin type lure again with a twister tail.

Sometimes the oldies are still goodies. I was actually fishing the river today and the smallies were on fire for the Mepps spinner at a very slow speed. I find many times spinners will lead to strikes for fish that are not feeding or agressive.

One final note as it relates to the bettle spin. I fish it with 2-3lb fireline crystal for those pike or musky that hit it. I mention this as I was fishing a private lake in my kayak about 2 weeks ago and tossed said beetle spin over a rocky, weedy, sandy, shady point at about 7:30 am and bamb hooked into a 45 plus inch Musky.

Thankfully it was a calm day and I was able to over time guide the monster to the point and beach the beast...

[Paul_Kramer]

I've had pretty good luck twitching small white flukes super fast past them, even darting it out of the water every few feet. Sometimes you can get a reaction strike, sometimes not.

If that dosen't work, using some kind of scent can sometimes get a strike. Either freelining live bait on a weightless hook, or weightless plastics smeared with a scent gel of some kind. It sounds like they're at least willing to bump it, so you might be able to get a few this way. A light mono or flouro leader couldn't hurt either. Good luck!