How to Catch Smallmouth Bass in Rivers

[@thomastrain7311]

Right at the end of rapids , behind large rocks on the downstream side , overhangs, undercut banks, where small creeks enter the river are all good 👍. For bait, crayfish and helgramites are the best if you have time to catch live bait.

[@hawleygriffin1800]

To anyone who has fished rocky river bottoms, fishing upstream means snags when the current and your retrieve pushes your line, sinker or bait under a rock. The only way top get it out is to walk into the water you want to fish and go get it loose. Not a huge deal if the water is deep enough for a boat or kayak, but if you're wading, you have to walk through your fishing hole. The advantage of fishing downstream and getting snagged is you can let out some line and let the current "belly" it downstream and give it a quick tug and have at least a 50% or better chance of getting it out without walking through your water.

[@christisking1193]

Lost two lures today because of this!

[@metaldude55ify]

Just bought a fishing kayak and taking it on the New River in NC this weekend! This river looks similar to the depth, current and features so going to try all these techniques! Can't wait!

[@thomastrain7311]

Be careful in the new river. That said , it's one of the best smallmouth rivers on the planet. Curious about how you did. A few years ago a friend took me on a float and since then I've been hooked . Kayak fishing is hands down the most fun you can have on a river

[@DoctorSess]

I always get them back in the water ASAP less than a minute (or two if it’s worth weighing) but the truth is bass can survive for more than ten minutes out of water and show absolutely no signs of damage in the long term. There was a study that showed this. Still it’s worth protecting them and handling them as little as possible and there’s no reason to test that.

[@Razor1138]

Yeah, bass pretty much breath on land. They’re durable as hell. Still good practice like you said.

[@kodachaim5913]

I know it's kinda off topic but does anyone know of a good site to watch new series online?

[@callankyree9775]

@Jayceon Bishop Yea, I've been using flixzone for months myself :D

[@kodachaim5913]

@Jayceon Bishop Thanks, signed up and it seems to work =) I appreciate it !!

[@jayceonbishop3861]

@Koda Chaim No problem =)

[@farmerjoebrown2189]

Keep in mind also if u cast upstream and reel down it drops fast so y gotta keep up

[@dieselbaits]

great info Tom...thanks!

[@robdenson83]

Great video!

[@skudskid]

Nice video 👍

[@unknown12k10]

No joke I used to catch about 20 bluegill when I was small now I have bad luck at fishing

[@-star_27-20]

Well when I was 10 I would go to my family cabin and I could catch around 15 perch around the dock area. Now that I’m 18 I come back there and I can’t catch anything around that dock.

[@wesleyyoder9437]

Yup.

[@jenniferredington3988]

Nice vid

[@finesse_angler514]

Classic 🔥🔥🔥🎣

[@kentyler966]

What color Power Swimmer are you using?

[@TomRedington]

Electric shad

[@kentyler966]

Maybe it’s your camera but your rod looks like its 9’ long?

[@TomRedington]

7 or 7.5 feet

[@zoidlrrr4633]

Why do you grab all of your fish, instead of lipping them?

[@TomRedington]

If you catch a lot of bass in one day and lip land all, your thumb will get all torn up (kind of a good problem to have) and it saves your thumb. Plus with small to medium sized bass, you have a bigger target to grab than the smaller mouth of smallmouth bass, the same place where the hook is. I usually lip land big fish and grab small to medium ones like in the video.

[@TooFatToHuntOutdoors]

Good tips!!!

[@Cloudstrife112233]

I was fishing the James River and i was throwing a frog popper out into a pretty fipping current and poppong it back out of that into a really big eddy current, and man, there were quite a few smallies holed up in there that were just hammering that frog. Had a lot of fun in an hour on my lunch break. This was excellent advice, as i am just learning spinner fishing (grew up fly fishing) and i can really use it. What types of jigs/lures do you find work the best?

[@mziembicki]

what swimbait did you use?

[@TomRedington]

A Berkley PowerSwimmer in 2.8 size

[@mziembicki]

@@TomRedington thanks

[@bruceowens7213]

I like the way you move it 😏

[@andrewleichenauer3538]

That is a creek

[@1967John_P]

yes Andrew it is a "creek" to me as well. Let this guy fish in the mighty 90 km hr. Niagara River like I do. He puts a bass up to his ear from that river it would bite it off like Tyson.

[@vipespcxbox6012]

Tf is he wearing gloves for lol

[@timberhunter922]

Sun protection, a significant number of professional fisherman and guides deal with skin cancer from constant sun exposure.

[@user-maxim_79]

I stopped watching as soon as I saw a guy fishing in the water wearing pants and gloves.

[@TomRedington]

sorry, I don’t film videos with my pants off. that’s an entirely different type of video.

[@SumOneSomewhere]

@@TomRedington 😂 Best response ever

[@metaldude55ify]

@@TomRedington bahahahahahahahaha

[@goatedsnags-_-5384]

Nice vid