Pyramid Smallies?????

[Alex M.]

[/b]Anybody have any helpful hints for catchin' them this time of year, i.e., baits, techniques, colors, etc....thanx

[Ray L.]

A JIG

[John Barron]

You're a lot of help

[Alex M.]

Ray...
Would crawling/stitching a 1/2 oz jig around rip-rap, steep bluffs, and deeper structure be the ticket???Any advice would be appreciated. Thanx

[Ray L.]

Well I don't normally crawl or stitch a jig ever because I like to make the fish react to the jig more than most people. The areas you said would be fine but on steep bluffs you normally can't stitch a jig anyway because it falls to often to be able to do that. I will be speaking next month at the Castaic bass club and will be covering a lot of this on more detail. I will also be taking questions from people. If you are there introduce yourself to me and I will answer all the questions you have about a jig. It is one of my favorite subjects and I think I know a few things about fishing them, but am always learning more each trip.

[CN]

But your response is the most i've LOL since visiting this site.

[propgun]

Hey Ray
Thanks for the plug. Castaic bass club will meet Febuary 9 th at 7:00 pm at Hamburger hamlet. Come out and hear what Ray has to say and check out our club.
Thanks
Ron Licari
VP castaic bass club

[kazk]

John try a skinny bear jig in brown 1/4 to 3/16 oz. with brown 101 or purple 101 pork rog. also canyon lures had a gitzit smoke red flake skirt with chartreuse body that has alway been a good smallie bait for me up and down the state.

[Gerryjig]

Try throwing a small (I think a # 2) white roostertail on a lightweight spinning outfit, pull up shallow, throw out deep and let it sink, then slow reel it uphill or parallel to the bank, Markey tailspins parallel for the steep stuff work great too.....otherwise a jig is a can't go wrong!....

[Gerryjig]

I catch more largemouths on the steep stuff and more smallies on the not so steep points and flats....

[Ray L.]

I agree on that Gerry I also catch more Largemouth on the steep stuff. If you look at what structure the smallmouth like nationwide you will see that many places the brown fish love more slopping stuff with rock, gravel and sand all in the mix. They like to move around a lot more than largemouth so that is why this kind of structure fits well for them. On the otherhand a fish is a fish and there always is not an absolute for them. I have caught many a smallie at Cachuma on the bluffs in the morning and then gone halfway back in Big Cachuma and caught them on a sandy mud bank. Go figure.....

[John Barron]

Several years ago a bas club buddy Danny Frazier got me using Skinny Bear 1/8 oz brown and 101 brown pork. It used to be my favorite at Lopez. I have switched to Revenge brown and purple and brown Super Pork for Smallies. It's like candy to them.

You're presentation going to depend on the conditions at the time you're on the lake. I have done very well crawling a Revenge jig on the bottom but I have also done very well hopping that same jig. You need to try different presentations BUT a jig is the best bait. Some will argue that a hair jig is much better but it hasn't been for me.
Have fun Smallies are a blast.
jb

[John Barron]

and help me roast Ray while I present him with his new Powell Rod!
jb

[Gerryjig]

I will be hunting quail with my guys as this is the last weekend for upland game......otherwise, you know I'd be there!!

[Allantek]

I'll be there to watch the ROAST.

I might even bring the Camera!

[Ray L.]

HHHHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMM should I be worried........