Any small mouth bass tips?

[lyallpeder]

Anyone have any advice for fishing small mouth bass? I have never fished for them before but I hear they like "structure" and noob me takes that to mean ridges and sand bars? I am thinking plugs or crank bait type lures are best? What test of line? We will be at falcon lake in Manitoba for about a week and will have a small boat.

Thanks for the help.
Lyall

[Mackinaw]

Anyone have any advice for fishing small mouth bass? I have never fished for them before but I hear they like "structure" and noob me takes that to mean ridges and sand bars? I am thinking plugs or crank bait type lures are best? What test of line? We will be at falcon lake in Manitoba for about a week and will have a small boat.

Thanks for the help.
Lyall

Cranks are good my goto was always a white big o I like using square bill crank for smallies because of the structure rockpiles ,cliff faces or sand bars the square bill seems to bounce off better.you can also dropshot or drag a jig and needle body.you can also try a bladebait..good luck

Mack

[BeeGuy]

Cranks, drop-shotting, and slip floating are all great techniques.

I don't know about that specific lake, but good fishin for larger fish later in the season is often found around midlake structure in up to 25'+ of water.

Ridges, drop-offs, shoals, humps, submerged debris, reef-like structure, and weed beds are all great targets. As are your typical points, shore line drop-offs, trenches and so on.

Local knowledge can be priceless.

[ESOXangler]

Mid July is top water time. Nice sunny calm day and yank them making lots of bubbles. Also lil Cleo's, silver, gold or fire tiger work great. I find I really like those colours when I'm on a shield lake.

[Mackinaw]

Mid July is top water time. Nice sunny calm day and yank them making lots of bubbles. Also lil Cleo's, silver, gold or fire tiger work great. I find I really like those colours when I'm on a shield lake.

In mid July and in to Aug I find early morning a later evenings are OK for top water but as the day warms the smallies will head deeper,this is where cranks ,dropshoting or even swimbaits will be more effective . and as beeguy was saying knowing about the lakes structure is one way to greatly improve you chances. Or you could end up straining a lot of water.


Mack

[Battery]

Wheres the closest bass lake to Calgary?

[HunterDave]

Top water lures in the morning and evening anywhere there's cover for them. Docks, leaning trees and lily pads are all great. They'll be surfacing eating bugs so you'll know where they are. Drop one of these buggers or a Jitterbug within a couple of feet of where they surface and they can't resist attacking it.

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx79/lifetimepassion/6-Torpedos_zps2306f6c0.jpg (http://s743.photobucket.com/user/lifetimepassion/media/6-Torpedos_zps2306f6c0.jpg.html)

During the day when they aren't feeding on the surface drop one of these wherever there is some cover with a shadow where they'll be hiding. You may have to move to 15 to 20 feet of water and fish the bottom to find them at mid-day.

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx79/lifetimepassion/wgjsd_cd_zps0fcb5491.jpg (http://s743.photobucket.com/user/lifetimepassion/media/wgjsd_cd_zps0fcb5491.jpg.html)

Have fun!

[bigd]

I've had my best luck casting plugs such as fat raps etc. Find a rocky shoreline with some boulders and cast to shore and reel in over the structure. Play with different depths, speeds and colours.

I lived about 2.5 hrs east of Falcon (Dryden ON) and this technique has rewarded me with more 4 lb /18"+ smallies than I can even remember.

Good luck and report back :)

[Bushleague]

In lakes they seem to fish an awful lot like walleye much of the time, rocky bottoms and similar structure, with a particular fondness for crayfish. In rivers and streams are where they are real fun IMO often fishing much like trout.

I've had my best luck on Mepps spinners and tube jigs. My biggest was caught on a large Cyclops spoon while fishing for pike.

[lyallpeder]

Thanks everyone! That's some great advice. I will report back once we get there and give it a go.

[Mackinaw]

Wheres the closest bass lake to Calgary?

Invermere lake 3 hours


Mack

[RigPig]

Gold or silver bladed spinner with a fat worm trolling. Or hook and worm. To me live bait is king.

[BassDude]

There is no sure thing when fishing bass at Falcon. You will want a variety of lures and also will need to fish different areas based on the conditions and recent weather.

Bass can be found in 3 ft of water or sulking in 20 ft of water depending on conditions.

I would recommend trolling rocky shore in the east end of the lake with a CC shad crank bait and if you have a partner have them pitch a1/4 oz eyeball jig in gold ) with a white gulp grub at the shore as you troll around. Find the reefs and pitch around them as well.

I love to throw cranks, grubs and spinnerbaits into the windiest wave crashed shore you can find. The bass love these areas.

If still having no luck try the eyeball jig in 15 to 20 feet. Often a dead stick will produce big fish, I like to find this depth adjacent to points or reefs. Tube jigs and worms on slider jigs are very effective as we'll. I like pumpkinseed Berkeley tubes and worms.....

If this fails, try top water in the early am or at dusk around reefs or points. Leave the top water still until it is killing you and then count to 20 before moving it.

Good luck.

[bubba 96]

Wheres the closest bass lake to Calgary?

Tie lake and jimsmith, near cranbrook, duck lake creston...

[lyallpeder]

Thanks for the tips! We made it to the land of blood sucking bugs and humidity today, hitting the campground tomorrow. Wow it's hot here! We saw a "funnel cloud" on the way here too.

[Mackinaw]

Tie lake and jimsmith, near cranbrook, duck lake creston...

Has not been a resent bass caught in jimsmith in years remember if you go to duck it is paddling only no motors plus you need a fishing permit from the CVWMA but it is a nice lake tie is great will be there in two weeks along with wasa and then invermere

[BassDude]

If you are looking for a small adventure/change of scenery there is a great beach at West Hawk Lake and nearby ice cream shack. It's about 10 min east of Falcon...

[spinN'flyfish]

jig a tube and they will hit it..........

[lyallpeder]

If you are looking for a small adventure/change of scenery there is a great beach at West Hawk Lake and nearby ice cream shack. It's about 10 min east of Falcon...

On number 1?

[BassDude]

Yes on #1. Just ask any local - West Hawk Lake is well known.

[OttCan]

jig a tube and they will hit it..........

Back in Ontario, if fishing a tube you could catch anything from perch, walleye, bass(lg&sm), pike, Muskie, lakers.

I'd chuck a 1/2-3/4oz tube jig head with a green pumpkin like color. Find a rockier bottom in around 15'. As for line, power pro has been my go to for many years now, if they seem a bit shy, try a 8-10lb flouro carbon leader about 8' long or so. And I always tied my baits directly to the line.

Good luck, I'm jealous!

[bubba 96]

Has not been a resent bass caught in jimsmith in years remember if you go to duck it is paddling only no motors plus you need a fishing permit from the CVWMA but it is a nice lake tie is great will be there in two weeks along with wasa and then invermere

I've caught em there, and guys posted picts from last yr when there...
So I'd say there in there..

[The Reel Deal]

I got a 3# LMB from Jim Smith 4 years ago, but it was the only one I caught and the only strike I had in 2 days.
For SMB, don't forget deep shoals. The biggest ones we caught were hanging out in 90' with lakers chasing bait balls. They would even come to the surface to crush poppers!

[saskbooknut]

Don't forget dawn and dusk at the docks - cast a topwater plug right up to the dock and twitch a couple of times before starting a retrieve. Some amazing big fish have been caught early or late, next to a dock that is busy in mid-day.

[binnzer32]

Slip float and leeches or 3 inch power baits. They like drops and Rocks

[BassDude]

Slip float and leeches or 3 inch power baits. They like drops and Rocks

No kidding on the Leeches. We used to pour the Leech water from spent bait cans in the boat house where I guided and watch the smallies go nuts from under the cribs. They would attack the top water. Leeches are golden.

[binnzer32]

No kidding on the Leeches. We used to pour the Leech water from spent bait cans in the boat house where I guided and watch the smallies go nuts from under the cribs. They would attack the top water. Leeches are golden.

Big time

[lyallpeder]

Well I didn't catch anything but the kids and I had fun. The bugs sure were bad! I saw some guys catching between the 2 beaches at falcon lake, And a Manitoba non resident permit was less than $30! Thanks for the tips guys.

[Craigson]

Troll worm harnesses w minnow or worm to locate fish.
Once on them cast jigs or Mepps #2 n #3 spinners theyre deadly.