Clear water baits for creek smallies

[olgreenboat]

I'm no expert on fishing by no means but I'm surprized that no one has tried the old tried and true live bait or is this one of those things were tring to fool a fish with fake baits rule? Kinda like shooting deer with a bow insted of a gun.??
For smallies I would of tried a live night crawlers or crawfish but like i said I'm far from an expert on smallmouth fishing..

[Carter1]

Olgreenboat, if you want to use live bait the best choice would probably be a hellgramite or go-devil as some folks call them.

[olgreenboat]

Olgreenboat, if you want to use live bait the best choice would probably be a hellgramite or go-devil as some folks call them.

HAHAHAHA You got me good.
When I made my post I was thinking alot of bass fisher man/woman won't touch anything that is alive and I was laughing about it but you got me with that bug and the dobsonfly it turns into .

[Tim_T]

I can relate a similar situation. I have fly fished the Smokies for more years than I want to count and on these small streams with low, clear water you have to take an apporach like you would if you were hunting. Wear drab colored clothes (some guys even wear a camo shirt), do not get in the water if you can avoid it. Keep a low profile, hiding behind bloulders to cast etc. keep the sun in front of you whenever possible. Also make a long cast when you can. These may help some in your situation.

[admile3]

I've got a go-to bait that has always seemed to work wonders when the water was low and/or clear, but especially clear.. SENKO, SENKO, SENKO! Just like how when the water gets clear, you want to pick a more subdued color? I also go with a more subdued presentation. I wouldnt even waste my time to tie on a crankbait when the water is crystal clear. I've found the bass want something that's just much more subtle, and nothing works better, at least in my experience, than a senko fished very slow, and often just dead-sticked through the current.

I fished a section of the Elkhorn yesterday for 6 hours, the water was on the low side, and on the clear side. I tore them up with a dark green and white Senko. Caught at least 15 smallies, 3 of which broke 16 inches. I'd cast it out, twitch it a couple of times, let it drift for a little bit, twitch it a couple more times, let it drift some more. More often than not, the bit would come during the drift. Just have to make sure to watch your line for the *tap*. I use braid with a fluorocarbon leader so that I have that added sensitivity for those light taps you get.

[MetalFish513]

I'm no expert on fishing by no means but I'm surprized that no one has tried the old tried and true live bait or is this one of those things were tring to fool a fish with fake baits rule? Kinda like shooting deer with a bow insted of a gun.??
For smallies I would of tried a live night crawlers or crawfish but like i said I'm far from an expert on smallmouth fishing..

You're probably right... Live bait probably would have been the ticket but yeah I'm one of those "fool a fish with fake bait" kind of guys. Just a personal preference.

[artcarney_agr]

Reaction baits are excellent choices...they bite before they have time to inspect it.