Tip's for Ohio Smallmouth Bass Fishing!

Here you will find tips on OHIO SMALLMOUTH Fishing
written by the OHIO FISHERMAN who fish for them.
Article #1= Tips on Lake Erie Smallmouth Fishing
Written by JV


Joined OHF : 04 Oct 2005
Location: NE Ohio
Smallmouth fishing Central Basin Lake Erie Ohio
I'm not a bass fisherman but I can tell you how to catch a few at Lake Erie, home of Ohio's biggest
smallmouth.
This picture was submitted by an OHF member and the fish was taken 2 years ago in the
Ashtabula / Conneaut area. It was all but a few ounces of the new state record.
I believe this fish went 9.2 and the record is 9.8

I never caught one this large, but I caught a few in the 5-6 lb range.
The average fish is larger than you think. And they can be found minutes length from most
central basin boat ramps.

I launch the boat in the Ashtabula / Conneaut area myself, and the fish are not to far from the
ramp at all, its the break wall is where its at !

Also the entire shoreline as far as the eye could see. I will say that anywhere off the beach, from
10-25 feet deep (that's a WIDE range with the central basins slow depth rate) that holds some rock
also holds the Smallmouth. When the waters clear you will see the rock at the bottom of the lake,
you will also see big defined items on the fish finder that can only be rock. My opinion is,
anywhere fairly deep (but not to deep) that has rock , also has whopper smallmouth.
You can find them by drifting over areas you know has rocky structure , usually just off
the beach when overcast or windy, and deeper out towards 25' accordingly.
With a 3 minute boat ride from either ramp, you could be in Smallmouth heaven.
Most people use Tube Jig's and I like them to. You can really work over
each rock pile with the right tube jig.

I prefer another method and to me it seems more productive. It's also more relaxing
Again I'm not much of a Bass fisherman, so usually if I'm bass fishing, it means 1 thing,
It means I limited out on Perch and the steelhead are out of town.
Sometimes if you really want to reel some big fish in, use line shiners, lake shiners or
golden shiners (larger) and drift over the good areas.
Golden Shiner
I use a live bait hook, and above that 1-2' I use a sliding egg sinker suspended with a split shot,
the waves & wind will determine how heavy you need your weight.
I try to drift the bait about 4' off the bottom, but like any fish, in different conditions
that are at different levels in the water column.
enlarge this picture & see how far my sliding egg sinker is away from my bait
This is in my opinion is a VERY productive way to put fish in the boat, and with children &
passengers, its a lot easier than casting.
Its always fun to stop by the break wall or the rock piles and reel in some smallmouth.

I also catch a lot when I'm steelhead trolling in the fall, they seem to like the spoons also.

I also like to troll a Rapala deep runner, that's my #1 go to lure. I troll it around the break wall ,
sometimes so my boat is literally feet away from the rocks, I also troll the 15' - 20 ' feet range down
the beach and into the horizon

Article #2 =
Written by Action


OHF Forum Moderator
OHF VIP Member
Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Location: Atwood Lake
River Buzzbaiting
River smallmouth love buzz baits as much as any top water I've ever found.
In a river you should make long casts and keep your tip up high while slow rolling the buzz bait
as slow as possible. A 7" rod makes it easier to keep you line out of the current.
The buzz bait can be retrieved upstream, downstream or across the stream, sometimes you have
to do all three to get a fish. If you know that there is a big fish in a particular spot don't be afraid to
throw to repeatedly, this technique usually gets the big fish. In rivers and creeks the fish are on structure
in the middle that you may not know is there. That's why you make long casts and work it all the way back
to the boat. Over half the fish caught from late spring until October will be caught on the way back to
the boat or bank from where you thought the fish should be. When throwing at the bank always try to land
it on the edge if possible and then slowly gurgle it into the water. Don't land it in the water, land it on
the water. By this I mean start your retrieve just before it hits the water as your lifting your tip up for a
soft landing. I keep two poles rigged with buzz baits when I float, one for each bank.
The buzz bait that spins clockwise always runs right and counter-clockwise always runs left,
no bar adjustments will change this. I almost always use the which ever one pulls upstream depending
on which bank I'm fishing. This info comes in handy when trying to run a path or bump structure which
is always a plus. Another great place to fish a buzzer is rapids because the smallmouth don't see them
there much. Stand upstream or beside the rapids and look for little slack spots behind the rocks.
Toss past the spot and when you get your buzzer to the spot slow it down with your tip very high.
If it's a tiny spot and your only in it for a few seconds, that's all it takes sometimes.
When fishing a stream or river you cannot reel to slow as long as your blade is hitting the top most of
the time. Don't speed up when it occasionally drops a little, keep it slow until it comes back up on plane.
I use 1/2oz. black buzz baits but I'm not convinced that you couldn't catch as many fish on any color
under most conditions. I always use black top waters when it cloudy or nighttime because they've
always out produced the other colors under those conditions.

Article #3
Written by On Erie


OHF Forum Moderator
OHF VIP Member
Joined OHF : 11 Oct 2005
Location: Columbiana Ohio
Central Basin Smallmouth Tips

If your like myself and like to drift Erie on a nice day, try this if your in Smallmouth
water 30' and less.

Set your drift by fishing "only" the top 10 to 12' of water. Depending on wind, use an egg sinker
that will keep you in the sweet spot. Usually 1/8 to 1/4oz, barrel swivel, wide gap hook #6 or #8
on a 4' leader (10# Seagaur). Hook a (larger the better) Lake Minnow from the chin out the top of the
head, long line about 50-60', and hold on.

Winds blowing from west 10-15mph is best.

This will work the same with tubes, and other plastics. Try a minnow (Lg) on a tube in the top 6 to 8'

Walleye
And while your doing this, stick out a 1oz (as needed) egg sinker rigged the same way with a
crawler harness. Put line out till you hit bottom, and raise about 1ft.
Try to fish near vertical.

Article #4 =

NO MATTER WHAT FISHING OR BOATING ITEM YOUR LOOKING FOR
I FOUND IT HERE AT SOME OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE PRICES IN THE WORLD.
Watch for those last minute items listed in RED for the BEST DEALS.
No matter what your looking to purchase, chances are
if you look here first you will find the BEST DEAL out there.
Please take a minute to browse for YOUR favorite lure , tackle or gear
and see for yourself, You WILL find what your looking for and
most of the prices cant be beat.

Find the item YOU have been hunting for below.