Smallmouth Creek Trip - What To Take

[wordty]

Going Friday to fish a creek / stream with a friend...we'll be walking a lot so I want to pack light...have never been there, but I am assuming branches and brush so I'm going with a 6'6" rod (Vendetta medium) and a Sahara 2500 with 8 lb green mono...should I put a fluoro leader on it (and if so what pound), and what are a few baits I should take to not over pack yet have a variety? Open to any ideas...if I don't have it, I'll consider getting it tomorrow night with my Academy gift card.

[bfish]

No need for a leader.

3-4" grubs on 1/8 and 1/4 leadheads are very versatile and fish the bottom and mid depths very well.

A couple of jigs/tubes for fishing the bottom

A 4-6' crankbait, a shallow stick bait, salty stick bait, spinnerbait and fluke for working mid-depth

and a couple of topwater (buzzbait, popper, wakebait).

[hogdawg]

Make sure you have crawfish imitations in plastic and crankbait. If you want to mess with it, there is no better bait that a live crawfish. #4 hook and a split shot.:)

[jad2t]

If you have trout magnets, bring them and use a 2lb flouro leader. I can't tell you how many of us here fish trout magnets in small creeks and catch smallies with them. It's a blast!

Mealworm and Bison colors seem to work best for me.

[Travis C.]

Imitations: Bass- 4" pumpkin Zoom Lizard on a 1/8 slider jig head and the small Flukes weedless. Panfish - Trout magnets.

What I would do though is maybe pack those above but take some split shot, bait hooks, small net and catch plenty of crayfish for the day. With the two of you can spent a little bit of time on the front end and it won't take long but be well worth it. Or if you have a seine it will take even less time, a cast net if you have one will catch all the creek minnows you need just as fast too.

[Alphahawk]

if you have trout magnets, bring them and use a 2lb flouro leader. I can't tell you how many of us here fish trout magnets in small creeks and catch smallies with them. It's a blast!

Mealworm and bison colors seem to work best for me.

x2

[Jim]

x2

If you have trout magnets, bring them and use a 2lb flouro leader. I can't tell you how many of us here fish trout magnets in small creeks and catch smallies with them. It's a blast!

Mealworm and Bison colors seem to work best for me.

I agree with this also, but this year I have been using the little crawfish from troutmagnet and catch lots more bass and still catch plenty of sunfish. The hook size is better for bass. Drum and catfish love it as well.

https://www.troutmagnet.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4&zenid=0f8f9ad22a75f08c9d240329f06a00c2

If you are targeting just smallmouth, a 1/16oz sliderhead with a 3 inch green pumpkin craw is a killer.

As for a leader, 6lb fluorocarbon will get more bites in a clear water creek. I have been schooled by friends using the same bait in the same area with the only difference being they had a flourocarbon leader and I had straight mono. Now it is always on.

With that said, the 2lb mono/ 2lb flouro set up will get way more bites than the 6 lb setup, but you may not be able to stop a good bass. It is really fun but nerve-racking when you hook a good one :)

[Alphahawk]

I agree with this also, but this year I have been using the little crawfish from troutmagnet and catch lots more bass and still catch plenty of sunfish. The hook size is better for bass. Drum and catfish love it as well.

https://www.troutmagnet.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4&zenid=0f8f9ad22a75f08c9d240329f06a00c2

If you are targeting just smallmouth, a 1/16oz sliderhead with a 3 inch green pumpkin craw is a killer.

As for a leader, 6lb fluorocarbon will get more bites in a clear water creek. I have been schooled by friends using the same bait in the same area with the only difference being they had a flourocarbon leader and I had straight mono. Now it is always on.

With that said, the 2lb mono/ 2lb flouro set up will get way more bites than the 6 lb setup, but you may not be able to stop a good bass. It is really fun but nerve-racking when you hook a good one :)

I think you and I discussed this before Jim but that lure is really under utilized. It really is a killer in streams...even in lakes. I need to use it more myself. The fluro leader is the way to go. I am convinced it helps me catch more fish. It is a pain when you break off as it usually breaks at line and leader so you have to do two knots again. But I have been doing it for so long now it just comes as second nature.


Regards


Regards

[SalmonDaze]

Make sure you have crawfish imitations in plastic and crankbait. If you want to mess with it, there is no better bait that a live crawfish. #4 hook and a split shot.:)