Deadstick Summer River Smallmouth // Rigging and Sight Fishing

I had a day to kill in Tennessee and found some river smallmouth willing to bite. But it took camping out on a spot that had multiple fish moving through. I employed a "minutes long" deadstick presentation in the spots where the smallmouth could be seen routinely cruising through. Unfortunately, only some of the footage from this trip survived. A micro SD card in my GoPro went bad, and it had to be reformatted, erasing most of the "over the shoulder" and underwater footage. A viewer question on how I rig the soft plastic baits for a deadstick presentation convinced me to use the handheld and little bit of over the shoulder footage that remained and kick it off with a rigging tutorial of several baits I use in this "set a trap, not entice a bite" summer smallmouth presentation.

[@zoommaster7253]

Yes I have to watch again lol good nuggets of info

[@TheLittleStuff]

I’m going to try this some this year with the neko rig.

[@kevinsinvegas]

Another great video!

[@TheLittleStuff]

Thanks Kevin. That presentation gets them to eat when nothing else will!

[@riverrat988]

Even when your videos don’t turn out like you want. They are still great and informative

[@TheLittleStuff]

Thanks for the kind words. I guess it’s always worth publishing. This one went far.

[@zoommaster7253]

So for Father’s Day yesterday took two of my younger sons late in day to beat the bank of a old rock quarry here in Ct so we use the zman big TRD perfect perch color and 1/10 zman bullet head and did exactly what you said to do with rigging and presentation. Lights out 17 large mouth between the 3 of us in 2 hours. Counted like 20 seconds from cast and the hit before I could even think of moving rod. Not 1 bait lost and have for next trip. Great tips and info Jeff thanks mike

[@TheLittleStuff]

That’s awesome Mike! Glad you’re putting it all to work!

[@zoommaster7253]

As I said in my previous post we killed em on this fathers day 2022 so we did same thing this past Sunday November 13th on a cold late afternoon but used the zman fatty z watermelon candy on a bullet head with dead sticking and had 7 large mouth in a hour at a rock quarry. Amazing technique with that zman bullet head. Thanks mike

[@TheLittleStuff]

Keep it going as long as your water isn’t hard Mike!

[@zoommaster7253]

Another great video. Showing how you rig and then take us on water is priceless

[@TheLittleStuff]

I was so distraught over losing most of the footage that I almost didn’t produce this one. The underwater footage alone would have illustrated the concepts to a deeper level. The action footage I lost was top notch. The on-water section of this one seems disjointed to me because I know what would have been in the gaps. I’ll have to produce it again on home water. To do a 92.75 inch total in a spot that encompasses five or six parking spots, sight unseen was a powerful demonstration of how sight fishing combined with deadstick presentation really works.

[@davidthompson3291]

So many great tips for river smallmouth fishing this time of year! Next two weekends I have tournaments on water like this.

[@TheLittleStuff]

It kills me that I racked up over 92 inches on a spot and only got about 15% of the footage. I wish I knew what went wrong with that micro SD card! The 19 jumped fully out three times, and I know that the camera angle was perfect. I’ll have to go back down!

[@mikesoutfishing]

Summer moss growth on the bottom is so aggravating, years ago it forced me to fish weightless slow falls. I dialed it in with a 3 inch yum dinger and have been catching monsters ever sense. When everyone is struggling to catch fish in the dog days of summer a deadstick or weightless slow fall will deliver pretty much all year round. Great video sir and awesome hat!

[@TheLittleStuff]

We have a similar situation with constantly shedding eel grass in the Juniata River. A weightless soft plastic Jerkbait is about the only bait that comes through that stringy mess!

[@Ebowe2002]

The bulletz are AWESOME for river smallies. They don’t get snagged nearly as much as an open jighead and they are quite versatile for elaztech baits. I’ve used them on the smaller profiles, Trd’s and ticklers. They last way longer due to less snags. I really get my monies worth out of both the jig heads and plastics. What I’m really curious to try after seeing this is on the jerk shadz. I love those things in saltwater with an open jig head. I know the smallies will eat them, but I’ve always tried to fish it like a fluke, which you can’t.

[@TheLittleStuff]

They do well with the Palmetto BugZ too!

[@travismyers9136]

Excellent job sir. This technique was precisely what I touched on in depth during my last Smallmouth Crush interview. Certainly a technique that comes with a lot of observation/years on the water when most would simply be casting.

[@TheLittleStuff]

Things start to reveal themselves when you stop your own motion and observe natures motion. Think of the owl. It barely moves ever. But when it does, something dies. The rest of the time: patient observation.

[@travismyers9136]

Great reference Jeff. Agreed In the interview I referenced I touched heavily on the “if wishing to know more about the owl study the mouse”.

[@bmartin1785]

As much as I fish ned rig/finesse style baits I’ve never truly just let it sit. My dad lives on a shallow sandy river with a healthy population of smallies. Going to try that this afternoon!

[@lureup9973]

Oh man, let us know how it goes!

[@TheLittleStuff]

It helps to pick a spot where they cycle through. Most pools that have a healthy population of smallmouth have areas that are; 1. Feeding zones 2. Resting zones 3. Travel zones The deadsticked presentation works well in #2.

[@bmartin1785]

@@TheLittleStuff TRD Minnowz rigged with a finesse bulletz on deck 😃

[@johndrx165]

Nice vid on a beautiful river!

[@TheLittleStuff]

Thanks! There are a few like it in eastern TN.

[@stevebaker8138]

Patience is definitely a virtue!

[@TheLittleStuff]

It’s a staring contest. Don’t blink!

[@chuckvinson1]

I can’t wait to use this presentation on the Upper Potomac on my float trip next month. 👊🏽

[@TheLittleStuff]

The first step is critical: see a concentration of fish! Lock onto a feature that’s holding them, let it settle down, then deadstick something in there!

[@chuckvinson1]

@@TheLittleStuff Right on. Got it. 👊🏽

[@jeffreyriddle4645]

What do you do when the water is dirty and cant see them? I fish in the same waters, susky, as Jake Harshman. You've been here you know. Your channel is extremely informative. I fish on a Rockproof boat but have friends that kayak and share your channel with them. Great info Jeff!! Thanks!

[@TheLittleStuff]

Moving baits do better in more turbid waters. Dig through the smallmouth playlist and find one of the many muddy water pattern videos I have produced.

[@billysouders8162]

The scrounger head with a 4-5 inch zman paddletail or a chatterbait without a skirt and the same paddletail on transition lines (dirty water) of the Suskie has worked well for me. I've spent hours in the same area switching back and forth between the two lures before catching fish.

[@TheLittleStuff]

I have a bunch of custom gold Pulse Fish Jigs (scrounger head) to try out up there!

[@billysouders8162]

@@TheLittleStuff I'm sure that will do the ticket.

[@jeffreyriddle4645]

Lol "LET IT SIT!" Yup it's a challenge. Thanks again!

[@TheLittleStuff]

They will scavenge a meal when they aren’t in the mood to hunt for it.

[@jasonvenesky2438]

If you need to move the Jerk Shad more aggressively, how does the bullet head affect the action? Is the elastec too buoyant to work without weight? The patience you display this time of year is incredible. I wonder how many people would give up on these fish and chalk it up to not biting? I hope you get all your footage back; you work too hard for it! Great stuff as always!

[@TheLittleStuff]

I actually shake the scented jerk shad when throwing it out into deep, open water to bass targeting shad. I use the lightest finesse BulletZ head available to have a slow sink rate, and shake the rod tip on semi slack braided line. It gives it the death quiver. You can catch them on the river with an aggressive retrieve, but when they want to chase, I prefer the Deizel minnow.

[@zoommaster7253]

When do you decide to use chinlock over finesse bullets? If your swimming bait like diesel I assume is chinlock? Thanks again I’m Glad your shared still. You help tremendously and are one of the pioneers of this sport. Thanks mike from CT

[@TheLittleStuff]

You got it Mike! Chinlockz for swimming presentation and finesse BulletZ for the slow or deadsticked presentation

[@toddhodges7]

Awesome video! The water looks great, what river is that?

[@timjones6637]

Nice, question.. while I was running Torqeedo high speed back up river .. I’m having hard time to steering which seem like shaft getting too tight.. ( yes, I have lube it) is that normal??

[@TheLittleStuff]

The more power you are using, and the more current it’s pushing along in, the more force is required to turn it. That’s just the physics of the set up. Go with the outer attachment points on the steering triangle. If there is something else going on making it difficult, look to see that your steering lines are as straight as possible.

[@timjones6637]

@@TheLittleStuff Yes, it’s connecting to outer points. You’re right about current forces it hard steering and after slowing down it was pretty easy steering. Just want to make sure it was normal. Steering lines is perfect straight. How was three blades prop doing? Same speeds? Thanks.

[@zoommaster7253]

Wow you left kayak on truck and no one messed with? Wow

[@TheLittleStuff]

It was cabled in two different ways.

[@zoommaster7253]

What are you favorite z man colors ? Red bone blue craw ?

[@TheLittleStuff]

Depends on the bait. Minnow shapes I like redfish toad, shiner, golden boy and houdini. Craw and worm shapes, it’s black w blue flake, green pumpkin and that green pumpkin blue flake, but black always works.

[@zoommaster7253]

Lakewood box looks great is it worth the $179? How about rust?

[@TheLittleStuff]

It’s not air or water tight, but boxes that are keep moisture in as well as out. It’s a double edged sword. I’m on month three with it. No rust.

[@flovaladez601]

What size braid and leader are you running for finesse jig and scented jerk shad? Thank you

[@TheLittleStuff]

20 lb braid. 12 lb fluorocarbon leader.

[@flovaladez601]

@@TheLittleStuff thank you Jeff