Summertime River Smallies
By Tim Sherman

Tony Brodeur of Linthicum, Maryland shows a 2-pound Potomac River smallmouth bass he caught on a smoke colored tube.

What is it about a smallmouth bass that makes most freshwater anglers go bonkers? Is it their bulldog-like hard fighting, their high flying aerial antics, or their bronze beauty that make us chase after them? Quite frankly, it’s all of this and more. Throughout the north and southeast regions of our country, fishermen seek them in reservoirs and impoundments. Even Maryland’s Deep Creek Lake, Prettyboy, Loch Raven, and Liberty Reservoirs have produced quality smallmouth fishing. Yet it’s the pursuit of smallies in flowing water that drives most of us in the Chesapeake region.

Our rivers and streams where we pursue bronze backs are easily accessible.

Many are within the realm of state parks that have conveniences of parking and waterside trails. The mid-Atlantic region has some of the best river smallmouth fisheries found anywhere. Maryland’s best includes the big water Potomac and Susquehanna Rivers, and the smaller Patapsco and Gunpowder Rivers. Virginia can lay claims to the Potomac, as well as the James, Rappahannock, and Shenandoah Rivers. I’ve enjoyed several float trips on the Potomac and Shenandoah, and I enjoy the smaller waters of the Gunpowder while searching out the finned bronze warriors.

Anglers in jet prop aluminum boats, canoes, and kayaks thrive in these environments. Wading is also an option. In summer, all one needs to fish is a light spinning outfit and an assortment of fishing lures. If you choose get in and fish, you’ll need wading shoes and clothing that you don’t mind getting wet.

Summer fishing often means low and clear water conditions. Bass take up residence along rock shelves, behind boulders, along the edges of a run, and in eddies and swingbacks. Even though we know where to look for them, they can be rather fickle.

One day they are willing to attack most any lure that passes, then they become very selective on what they will bite the next day. Fishing afloat you can bring along a large amount of lures and a few rods to figure them out. When wading, you are limited to what you can stuff into an over-the-shoulder tackle bag.

There are a few essential lures you need to have when targeting summer smallies. We’ll start with those that we use to crawl or swim across the bottom. Tubes and small jigs are favored. Tubes in the 3 and 3 1/2-inch sizes are best. Bass of all sizes will attack them in these sizes. We sometimes wonder what a 5-inch smallie is thinking when it attacks a lure more than half its size. When small rivers are extremely low, a Bitsy Bug jig can be your best friend. Bass are forced to cohabitate in the deepest water they can find. They will often tailgate the fish that has struck initially, giving you the indications that you should make several more casts to the same area.

Other soft plastic lures come into play. Soft jerkbaits and stick worms are the two most dominant. The most common use is to cast them out and let them sink out of sight. Lift the rod tip and let the lure sink again. This is when a slightly inactive smallie will most often strike. Stick worms may also be rigged wacky-style when smallies are skittish. No matter which way you rig the worm, the key is staying focused on the lure so you can see the bass come to it in the clear water. If, by chance, a bass should strike as soon as a soft bait hits the water, work it with an erratic retrieve. This will often be the case when casting them into eddies and along the edge of a run.

Crankbaits and jerkbaits work wonders for river bass. The Rebel Wee Crawfish covers the depth of most rivers in summer. It has a tight wiggle and is most effective when presented in a cross-current manor. This year I found a second crankbait the bronzebacks can’t ignore. The majority of the smallies I caught on my most recent float trip were attributed to the little humpback plug known as the Norman Quarterback. Jerkbaits are thought of as a lure for waters cooler than what you find in summer.

However, I have seen them bring countless summer smallies to the net. A straight retrieve with a jointed Rapala is deadly, while an erratic twitch and pause presentation works well with a 1/4-ounce Rattlin Rogue.

Don’t forget about topwater lures. They draw awesome strikes in early morning, late evening. You can also have the surface bite last all day under an overcast sky. Small buzzbaits and prop baits are the two most used surface baits. A buzzbait is used to cover the water quickly. They work will over grass beds or when retrieved across a rocky flat. Prop baits are meant for a more subtle presentation. This lure can be cast to most forms of cover and have a good chance of being pummeled. They should be twitched along the surface to mimic a dying baitfish.

Color choices are a big element of catching smallies in gin clear river water.

Hues like chartreuse, red, chameleon, and bumble gum are generally perceived as fakes by smallmouth. Stick with natural colors like smoke and green pumpkin for tubes, and baby bass and pearl for stick worms. Try matching the patterns of baitfish with crankbaits and jerkbaits. Subdued tan, rainbow trout, and Tennessee shad patterns work well. The same holds true for prop baits.

A word to the wise -- use common sense when heading to the rivers and stream. Rains like we had in late June can make these fisheries dangerous and even life threatening. No fish is worth your life. Smallmouth bass are often thought of as a cold water fish. The truth is, your chances of catching them in good numbers are best in dog days of summer. A quality river smallie is a 12-inch fish. Though small by some standards, a smallmouth bass this size has the fortitude of other species twice and thrice its size. There are good odds of catching even bigger smallies throughout a wading or float trip. Using light and ultralight tackle will surely test the mettle of anglers both novice and avid when the temperature spikes in upward position.