Fall Smallmouth

Most of the world is covered by water. A fisherman's job is simple: Pick out the best parts.
-Charles Waterman

Acclaimed naturalist and author Edwin Way Teale once proclaimed  "For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad."

Our Ozarks river smallmouth fit somewhere in the middle of that statement. 

Ozarks Fall Bronze!

As the water cools, river smallmouth start feeding to get ready for the winter. Forage fish like stonerollers, shiners and chubs (or slicks as we call them) begin migrating out of small tributaries, feeding along main river edges. Crawfish activity declines and these baitfish become the primary target of the smallmouths intent. 


Smallmouth bass are opportunists. In the spring and summer, as water temps rise, they will feed on a wide variety of forage. Hellgrammites, Crayfish, Dragonfly nymphs, big Hex nymphs, baby ducks, you name it. I've seen them sipping big green drakes like trout. 
As fall approaches, falling water temps trigger the urge to feed. Protein. These fish are meat eaters by nature and as they sense the changing of the seasons, the urge to pack in the calories increases. 

I've seen it flip like a switch; one day in mid September I'm fishing plunge pools and deep runs and the next, always following a cold front, there are fish herding stonerollers and Ozark Minnows on the bank in 3 inches of water. 

That initial cold front is key to the fall migration. Too short and the frenzy subsides quickly. Too long and it will put the fish down until the weather stabilizes. The ideal scenario for me would be a mild cold snap, followed by the idealistic fall weather we all look forward to after the dog days of summer. But this is the Ozarks: if you don't like the weather, wait a minute, it'll change....

So what does it all mean?
Once fall is here to stay, I start concentrating my efforts on gravel flats and shallow water runs below or adjacent to riffles. Long stretches of thin water with gravel and cover are ideal spots to ambush or herd baitfish that have schooled up in the shallows. 
Water levels will also determine fish location (and density) in the Fall.
Our last two falls have been relatively dry, leaving our Ozarks waterways bony. More water means more surface area for the food chain to do it's thing, and dry years can be tough on the fish (and fisherman). Low water can also mean low DO (dissolved oxygen) levels in the frog water, so look for the areas near riffles. Don't make the mistake of passing up the skinny water at the edges, more than once I've been surprised by a pig smallie sitting in just enough water to cover his backside...
If you are lucky enough to fish the winter, you may know some winter holes where smallmouth hang, waiting for warmer days and the urge to feed again. Pay attention to those areas and target water adjacent them. Fish will return to the same winter haunts year after year, and knowing these spots can lead to some very productive fall days. 
In the illustration below, I point out some of my favorite fall spots on a typical river-run:

Tips and tactics
Two friends of mine, Max Turner and Jason Vermeiren, have opposite approaches to fall smallmouth on the long rod. 
I'm pretty sure Max was born with a Sneaky Pete in one hand and a glass fly rod in the other. Jason ties some absolutely gorgeous streamers. Both catch fish consistently. 

Fall fishing, for me, means meat. Baitfish patterns. Streamers, crankbaits, spybaits and topwater like the Whopper Plopper. 

If I am not guiding or fishing a tournament in the fall, the conventional gear stays home and I carry a flyrod. My box has 7 patterns and their various mutations loaded up at all times:
1. SBS Streamer
2. Two or three sculpin imitations ( Mohawk, Belly Scratcher, etc)
3. Low-Fat minnows in Bluegill and Longear
4. The Equalizer in natural baitfish colors
5. The Shuttlecock in two or three colors
6. Hi-Tie minnows in bright colors
7. Large terrestrial patterns like hoppers and cicadas. 
I am not gonna tell you I don't carry other patterns like the clouser or bigger articulated streamers like the Sex Dungeon, but these are patterns I have modified to fit the forage in our rivers and they are definitely confidence flies. 

I also carry a few different weights of sink tips, from intermediate to type 7. 

Fish streamers like you mean it. Cast to the edges and vary your retrieve until you find the cadence the fish want. Always finish the retrieve to the rod tip. I've had smallies rocket out of no where to smash my fly 5 feet from my boots.  
Don't overlook large terrestrial patterns like hoppers, big beetles and cicadas. They live near the river, and end up trapped in the meniscus at times, easy prey for a smallmouth. These strikes can be life changing...

When I bring the gear, I always have a couple of crankbait boxes with me. My absolute favorite crankbait is the 1.5 squarebill. I carry it in 4 or 5 colors. And Whopper Ploppers. Man, that bait is downright scary sometimes. I've had fish blow them 4 feet out of the water only to come back on the next cast and kill it. I mean CRUSH that bait. Mr Dahlberg is a genius...
Match your gear and line size to the water. I carry mostly spinning gear on smaller creeks, matched with 6lb fluorocarbon. I do carry a baitcaster if I am fishing the Plopper, and keep it spooled up with 12lb fluorocarbon.  

My Soapbox
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this section are validated by thousands of maniacal Smallmouth enthusiasts across the nation. Resistance is futile...
Long, hot summers can be tough on fish. Follow these guidelines and make sure we pass this resource on to the next generation.
1. Play the fish quickly
2. Handle them minimally
3. Keep em wet! (or at least get the pictures taken quickly!)
4. De-barb your hooks when you can

That's it.  Fall is my favorite time of the year. The weather. The scenery. And the fishing!

See you out there!

10 Flies that Should (Probably) Catch Smallmouth Anywhere

"If I'm not going to catch anything, then I 'd rather not catch anything on flies" 

Bob Lawless.

I haven’t been able to fish as much lately. As depressing as that statement is, sometimes life gets in the way and I find myself having to work more (fly fishing doesn’t have to be expensive but it sure isn’t cheap) and going to social events where people don’t talk about fishing constantly. Ever since I was a kid, one of the things I’ve done when I can’t fish as much as I like is organize my boxes. I take flies out, I stare longingly at them and imagine how they look moving through the water. I find old favorites and move them to the front of the box. I put all my nymphs in that box that never gets opened but always stays in my pack. As I was picking through my flies recently, I started wondering, if I could only carry ten patterns to catch Smallies for the rest of my life, what I would choose. No matter the forage available or the season could I, in my infinitely finite wisdom of fly fishing, come up with a box that would consistently catch Smallmouth? Whether you are new to fly fishing for Smallmouth or this is old hat to you I hope you find some new flies to add to your arsenal. In no particular order I present to you the ten flies I think every Smallmouth angler should carry.

A note before we begin: This list does not include the Wooly Bugger, Clousers Minnow or a Deer Hair/ Blockhead Popper. These are amazing flies that have probably caught more bass than every fly on this list combined. I’m not putting them here because to be frank, those flies have been talked to death by much better fishermen than me. Buy them, tie them, and fish them. They are amazing, classic flies.

Sneaky Pete: The Sneaky Pete is a diver variant of the popper pattern and is a favorite of mine when I am fishing smaller creeks and rivers or clear water where bass will investigate a standard popper but won’t commit to a strike. When twitched or stipped the fly glides and dives. Fished near the bank or cover I have seen bass cruise across entire hole to investigate and eat these flies. I recommend size 8 to size 4 and chartreuse and olive are phenomenal colors. Fish this fly anywhere you feel like having fun watching Smallies obliterate topwater flies but a popper is too much commotion.

Empies Deadly Shiner: The name says it all when it comes to the Deadly Shiner. It is by far the most productive search pattern fly I have used. You can walk up to any body of water and throw this fly in and something will eat it.  It’s simple and gaudy. You can fish it fast or with long slow strips. I honestly think it's harder to fish this fly wrong. If I was making a list of 10 flies for any species of fish the Deadly Shiner would be near the top. My go to colors are silver/red and copper.   Fish this fly anywhere. Seriously. Anywhere.

Zuddler: What do you get when you combine two flies I don’t particularly enjoy? (The Muddler Minnow and Zonker) You get a fly I absolutely love. Originally conceived as a Steelhead fly, the Zuddler has quickly become a go to fly for when I need a baitfish imitation that can be fished in the upper part of the water column. It can also be cast to the head of a hole and allowed to drift and sink with the occasional twitch to imply life. Consisting of a flash tail, a rabbit strip, a spun deer hair collar, and a conehead the Zuddler is about as simple and durable a fly as modern flies get. Prefered colors are black/brown, olive, and white.  Fish this one anywhere Shad or shiners are prevalent.

Todd’s Wiggle Minnow: Almost every fly is fun to fish when the bite is hot. Todd’s Wiggle Minnow is a blast to fish even if you have been casting for an hour and haven’t caught a thing.  The action of this fly was once described by Izaak Walton “A dive and wiggle so sexy it puts a Rapala Floating Minnow to shame” (citation needed) and he was 100% correct. Not only is it a blast to fish but it elicits devastating strikes from Smallmouth, Largemouth, and Wipers in everything from farm ponds to tailwaters. Considering this one is basically a foam crankbait I only carry two of the most wonderful crankbait colors ever conceived; Fire Tiger and White with a red head.

Murdich Minnow: Another fly that started as a pattern for a different species and wound up becoming a classic for Smallmouth, the Murdich Minnow is a great fly to fish just under the surface. When stripped it darts erratically, flares to a stop and hangs in the water creating the irresistible profile of an injured baitfish. Since it is basically a ball of flash and hair that pushes water any fish in the vicinity is sure to start looking up when it goes by.  I have had the most success swinging and twitching this fly at the end of riffles or below dams to imitate disoriented baitfish. I prefer Rainbow, and Silver and White for colors but it’s genuinely hard to go wrong picking a color for Murdichs.

Whitlock's Near Nuff Crayfish: If there is a list of essential Smallmouth flies and they don’t include a Crayfish fly (or 5) do NOT take them seriously. Smallmouth eat crayfish. A lot of them. Most studies say that a good majority of a Smallmouths diet consists of Crayfish.  While it isn’t the most thrilling way to fly fish for Smallies (it’s basically the bass equivalent of nymphing) it is an essential skill to learn if you want to catch fish. There are a ton of good Crayfish flies out there but honestly Dave Whitlock is one of the greatest fly fishermen to ever live and if this fly is good enough for him,  it is definitely good enough for you.

Lunch Money: Designed to catch the finicky bass of the Texas Hill Country, Matt Bennett crafted one of the finest baitfish immitations to come out of the modern era of fly tying in my opinion. Small enough to be cast on a 5 weight rod, the Lunch Money hits the perfect balance between realism and gaudy attractor. The fly rides hook up allowing it to be retrieved slowly and drug over rocks and cover to elicit strikes from moody fish. This is the fly to pull when you need to get down fast and get into fish faster.

Charlies Double Gonga: Big fish like big flies, fly fishermen like big fish, so logic dictates that fly fishermen like big flies. When I want to throw meat at big Smallies and Browns Charlie Craven’s Double Gonga is the first fly I look to. Just look at it. It looks DELICIOUS. The big articulated streamer game isn’t for everyone, it’s a lot of casting heavy flies and almost giving yourself a concussion when you aren’t paying attention, but eventually you will want to go head hunting with giant streamers. Start with the Double Gonga.

Sparkle Minnow: There is a checklist I form in my mind when I look to add new streamers to my box. It’s a relatively simple list so I’m happy to share it with you here.

Item #1: Does it have flash?

Item #2: Does it have lots of marabou?

The Sparkle Minnow takes my list and guffaws at me for even asking such things. It’s just a simple, brutally effective pattern that works in both the middle of the water column and swam near the bottom.

Pistol Pete: Seriously. Stop laughing. Ok fine, I’ll wait. Are you done? Good. I don’t know who Pete is but considering he starts and finishes our list he must have been a hell of a Smallie fishermen. This one is definitely a “small stream” fly but it has days it’s so effective that I feel like I’m cheating. It’s basically a wooly bugger with a propeller blade on the front, so you know it’s going to catch fish. Purists will probably look down their noses at you but they can look away while you are catching fish. Buy this fly at Walmart so you don’t have to ask about it at the shop though.

That’s it guys and gals. If I had to pick 10 flies to carry with me for Smallmouth I would be confident if these were in my box. I know I probably missed your favorite flies and you’re saying to yourself “This guy is an idiot!” so let me know in the comments so I can add them to my box.