Smallmouth fishing - Buffalo River Arkansas

Here's a thread I had on the same topic from a few years back:

Smallmouth vs largemouth bass fishing techniques

And here is the best response I got (from BP):

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I have fished river smallies quite a bit in MO. They truly are the hardest pulling fish per lb.

One thing I had to learn was to stop targeting wood structure and slack pools and instead look for ambush points in or at the edge of current and underwater or partially submerged rock formations. Smallies will stack up in shallow water with current especially if flow changes. I have caught fish after fish in running rapids less than 2 ft deep as long as there was a decent deeper pool just down stream. They will also take topwaters all day long. When they strike at a top water they will continue to hit at it often in gangs until either you hook up or until the bait gets out of the pool they are in. Others may disagree with me but I find an accurate cast is essential also. I try to cast up stream of the spot and work the bait back to the spot with the current if possible. They will rarely come off of a spot to investigate a bait but will chase a bait a long way off of the spot once interested. They will reaction bite for things coming off the bank though and I have caught many after casting on the bank at the edge of the water and hopping the bait into the water especially with topwater frogs.

For set up, a 6' ML or L spinning rod with a good reel spooled with 6-8 lb clear mono (Trilene XL) is about all you need. I like to use mono for smallies becasue it allows for the versitility to fish topwater and bottom bouncers on the same rod. Most baits are smaller so tie directly to the bait not to a swivel or quick snap. The lighter line helps when you need to break off a bait stuck in rocks, has less drag in the current, and the fish seem to like it better too. If you go 6 or lighter make sure to check your line and retie often.


As far as baits a small selection of baits will serve you well. I rarely take this much but here are some good suggestions:

1/8-1/4 oz double blade buzz baits
Tiny and normal sized torpedos
Mini and regular sized hula poppers
Rapala skitter pops
regular size Pop R
Floating Rapala minnows in smaller sizes.
H & H soft plastic frogs and 1/0 offset worm hooks
Shad raps
Rebel diving crawfish cranks
Norman little and tiny N cranks and Bomber Model A cranks
H&H spinner baits with dbl colorado blades
A few inline spinner baits
soft plastic flukes
soft plastic tubes Manns Hardnose are great
soft plastic grubs 2-4" with round jig heads with light wire hooks
soft plastic mini sized crawfish or creature baits
beetle spins in original sizes
football head jigs with skirts and plasitc crawfish bodies
natural hair jigs

Of course pick color based on weather and water condition.



Make sure to bring some baitkeeper hooks in assorted sizes and some split shot in assorted sizes also. Catching a few crawfish or hellgrimites streamside and using them as bait is a no fail way to catch some smallies.


If you do get a big one on keep your rod tip down those suckers like to tail walk out of the water when hooked.

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The time I went, I just new a finesse type worm on a jig head would be killer. Nope. I caught one and was soundly trounced by my good friend who was throwing,


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Thank yall, good stuff there

One other tip: Match your tackle to the fish for most enjoyment. They are a fighting fish but too heavy a rig can overpower them and reduce the experience.

They will make runs, and they will often jump out of the water. If you are doing catch and release make sure you keep the fish in the water as much as possible because the fight really wears them out. Give them some time in the net in the running water to get going before release.

Have fun. They have become my favorite freshwater fish to catch.

Carolina rig finesse worms on light line. 18 to 24 in above a 1/4 oz weight.

You can catch them casting or drifting between pools.

Best action I have had for smallies up here in the last couple of years.

Do you do any fly fishing?

I will second the rooster tail or other in line spinners.

Crawdad colored jigs are great.
I like smaller spinner baits chartreuse and white
Beetle spins of course
A bunch of top water baits work. I like silver with blue backs and black backs. Also, smaller than normal.

Rebel crawfish and perch pattern shad rap 4 or 5 size are my go to baits. Any brown tube jig.

Was gonna come here and give some advice based on experience. However, I see I did that back in 13 and lastcoco linked it. Lol.

Glad it was helpful for him and hope it will be for you C.

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None, but my buddy is bringing his fly rod, may try and get a lesson

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Be sure he brings lots of crawfish patterns (crazy dad and near nuff are two of my favorites). Topwaters can be really good as well. The wiggle minnow can be absolutely deadly. Hellgrammite patterns can also be effective as can baitfish imitations.

One thing that I've found makes a difference on some ozark smallmouth streams is a sink tip line vs. a floating line. Since creek smallies often hang in ambush patterns in the riffles, getting a subsurface fly down in swift water can be a problem. A sink tip line seems to present the fly more effectively.