Smallmouths- what am I doing wrong, can't keep these beast hooked

[David Jordan]

Ok, So I have my Last T of the year and I'm on big fish from the moment We start. Smallies in NH in the fall seem to alway be schooling and crashing baitfish on points til 45 min after sunrise the dissapear never to be found again.

I have 30 minutes to catch these fish before they take head who knows where. I'm using a Matzuo Spit and Spudder popper style bait w/ 10# test spinning, 6.5' med action IM^ rod. I hook the 1st fish on the second cast targeting and explosion. 17" in the boat. The next one is bigger and I fight to keep him down. He's peeling the drag and I loose him half way to the boat. I get 4 more hook ups after that and loose them all halfway to the boat. I'm not horsing these in but I've got the drag loose so they wont break me off. All good fish. The rest of the day is very slow and I mangage a good 17.5" largemouth in cabagge on a senko and a 13" on senko. Alot of dinks and pickrel.



Ho do I keep these smallmouths hooked up. I don't have nearly as much problem w/ largemouths on topwater or trebles or worm hooks. I would have placed second or 1st if I had caught any of the 5 Ilost

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Oh Dave I feel your pain! LOL If you get that totally figured out, you let me know too! Hook size has a lot to do with it and sometimes you don't want to give them too long to work the hooks free. Don't over horse them to the boat, but definately get them in. I can't tell you how many smallies have just fallen off the hooks in the bottom of the boat. Doesn't matter because they're IN the boat. 20 more seconds of play along the side and they would have worked a hole big enough to slide Trep through in their lips and no hook would stay in. That's the nature of smallies. Any fish under 3.5 lbs, I swing in the boat if hooked even remotely good. Light hooked or heavier fish require a fast and accurate net man like Buzz! Ask him how many we lost just like in the NBS tourney! We each lost winning stringers of fish. That's smallies for ya!

 

[David Jordan]

I need to invent a new smallie hook that clamps down.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Excaliburs or Mustad triple grip! Switch up, they're worth it!

 

[Corey Carrico2]

I generally upgrade the hooks on my topwaters. Both to a larger size treble and to the newer ones that have a twist to them. (Cant recall the brand but they come stock on the Excaliber Advantage baits) Nothings a 100% but I do notice fewer throws with this modification....hope it helps.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

The other great thing about excaliburs is the twist. They're designed to turn in and grab anything on impact. Including fins, scales or human hands/flesh! LOL Even if the fish short strike or "crash" the bait, 9 out of 10 times they get hooked up. The more they fight, the more likely all 3 sets of trebles will eventually have them!Only down fall is removing all the hooks from a ticked off 4+ lb smallie thrashing about in the net. Eats up valuable tourney time, but it's better than not having him in the boat at all!

 

[David Jordan]

Rob, I can live w/ that problem. a 4 #

 

[Rob LaMoy]

I will be outfitting all of my luckycrafts and yozuri baits with them this winter. Jerkbaits and crankbaits. On a crankbait bite, remember to downscale the treble so they don't throw them as easy. But not TOO small or you won't have good hook ups. Hook size is critical. On Yozuri baits, they use galvanized saltwater hooks. Horrible, change them all! Too big and if you break off, the fish is doomed as those hooks will never rust out. Owners are good too, but I prefer their regular single barb hooks and stick with excaliburs for trebles. On regular hooks, many will do fine. Matzuo, Owner, mustad, Gammys, etc. Not a big fan of Eagle claw myself.

 

[David Jordan]

I just picked up thsi bait and Stupid me didn't change the hookes to Gammy's because I didn't want to retie the feathers. I have a couple of boxes of gammy's Guess I'll refurbish all my cranks, jerkbaits and topwater this winter w/ tripple grips juust add those to the christmas list along w/ several crates of senkos. I just picked up a Luckycraft Bevi shad in Aurora Pro blue for $9.99 at Norther bass close out. Can't understand why they are closing out that color. Clear w/ a hint of blue on the back is a great claer water finesse color

 

[stan jones]

good quality hooks are a must. i also keep a good file just in case. also every time you get hung up check your hook tip.sometimes the very tip gets bent over. i also have had trouble with eagle claw. stan

 

[JAMES MOORE]

The best way I've found to get a smallie in the boat is just wind like hell and don't stop till the fish is in the boat. Once you've got them coming in your direction don't stop. Of course if it's a 7 lb plus a little more finess is in order.

 

[Jim B]

Dave good hooks are a must. Next time you do a tourney in the fall and you need smallies try deeper water like 15 feet or so after that morning bite. I smoke the smallies up there in NH in the fall on 8" lizards in 15 feet or so on a c-rig. I fish the deeper water neer those points that they feed at early. Seems to me that the smaiiles move deeper and will hit the lizards all day long.

 

[Terry Nunn]

I honestly think it is better to throw spinnerbaits or buzzbaits at schooling fish. I learned a long time ago while watching smallmouth/spots jump over around and through my spooks that a fast moving bait with a single hook/trailer will put more fish in the boat.



I only use a topwater (spook, redfin, popr...) when fishing open water trying to get fish to come up



good fishing