The phone call came one evening in mid June. 

“Where can I get some of those ‘blue dots’?” asked the voice on the other end.  A non-river fisherman receiving this call may have suspected a wrong number asking about a source for a new street drug.  But any Allegheny River fisherman would know better. 

“I’ve been trying minnow traps as well as hook & line, but I’m not catching any,” continued the voice of Ed Atts, retired schoolteacher and dedicated fisherman. 

“Gee Ed, I don’t think I can help you out,” I responded.  “I never catch blue dot riffle minnows until mid summer – usually mid July or later.  Frankly, I don’t know where they are right now.” 

“I hope you realize that you converted a fly-fisherman to a live bait angler after our trip down French Creek last September,” Ed reflected.  “Now I can’t get that live bait fishing out of my system.” 

The memory of that particular outing suddenly came rushing back.  Late last summer I was in need of a partner for a canoe float to obtain photos of live bait gathering and catching smallmouth on the indigenous bait.  I knew Ed was a fly-fisherman, as well as an expert canoeist.  I figured to get two stories in one trip -- fly-fishing for smallmouth in addition to the live bait stuff.   

Tripping Out on Bait 

But when I showed up at Ed’s house, he came out with an old spinning outfit in hand rather than his fly rod.  “Figured I would give this live bait thing a try today,” he said. 

At the spot we launched the canoe, I showed Ed how to catch riffle minnows in water only ankle deep using light line, a #16 fly hook and a maggot.  “There really is skill to setting the hook and getting those three to five-inch baitfish to the bucket,” he admitted after stumbling through quite a few misses initially. 

“I expected you to be pretty good at this, with all that experience catching those trout that aren’t much bigger than this bait,” I joked. 

With bait in the bucket, we waded to the first deep water run coming out of the ankle-deep riffle.  The bank was slightly undercut, and water boiled over several large rocks.  I nose-hooked a blue dot on a #10 Eagle Claw L787 Circle Hook, cast it to the head of the run and let the current bounce it downstream in water about four feet deep.  The bait drifted only a few feet before the line jumped and tightened. 

In smooth slow motion, I pulled back on the rod.  When using a circle hook, the last thing you want to do is a snap-set.  I managed to connect with an aerobatic smallmouth that did several back flips before ending up at my feet.  I lipped the fish to show the hook placement to Ed. 

“Right in the corner of the mouth where it should be,” I pointed out.  

Fly-fisherman Atts easily adjusted to drifting live bait.  By the time we disembarked from the stream four hours later, we had racked up over 30 smallmouth bass on live bait plus another four or five on a spinnerbait.  The majority of the fish were in the 10 to 14-inch category, however at least half dozen surpassed the 15-inch mark. 

“I’m sold,” said Ed as we strapped the canoe to the truck.  “You know I have fly-fished this stream all my life for smallmouth but never realized the potential that really existed out there.  I always felt good with five to ten smallmouth on flies during an outing, and they would be small.  I never expected we would catch this many fish in September, or to have as many 2-1/2 pound fish as we did.  Amazing!”  

River Tradition 

But back to that phone call from Atts.  He explained he had put a minnow trap out in a tributary earlier in the spring with hopes of getting some river shiners, but turned up nothing.  Now with French Creek back down from spring high, he was trying without success to catch blue dot minnows. 

“Ed, you are probably trying to gather the wrong type of bait for this time of year,” I suggested.  “In the early summer, it’s been my experience that hellgrammites or soft-shell crayfish work better than minnow-type bait.  I’m not sure why, but it may have do with availability at the moment.   

“Evolution certainly conditioned smallmouth to target food that is both readily available and meets their nutritional needs at any given time.  Seems to me, if we can’t catch blue dots at the present time, the chances are stream smallmouth can’t find them either.  Maybe they are still in deep holes rather than riffles.  Maybe the minnows are spawning and not feeding.  I do not know.  The paths of that particular bait and the smallmouth just haven’t intercepted yet. 

“Also, factor in the possible special nutritional value of crayfish or insect larvae as bass come off spawn, and perhaps we begin to see why seasonal patterns with specific live bait developed.  Now, don’t take this as scientific fact.  It’s my best guess,” I concluded. 

It’s all part of the mystic of river smallmouth – idiosyncrasies that may not have a scientific explanation.  These hard-to-explain things do not trouble river bass fishermen who by nature are less analytical than reservoir bass fishermen.  To catch smallmouth, river anglers rely on the traditional approach laid down by their fathers, more so than the latest scientific studies.   

I’ve come to live bait fishing only recently.  Ten years ago I would have laughed if anyone suggested I would be live baiting smallmouth bass in the year 2001.  While I have enjoyed fishing rivers and creeks for smallmouth since a small boy, I did so with artificial lures.  From my viewpoint, live bait was for the meat hunter or the novice who didn’t understand how to work artificial baits, not the sport fisherman.   

Then, perhaps six years ago, a bass tournament buddy took me live-bait fishing for river smallmouth.  It was different.  And it was exciting.  So in the last few seasons, my opinion on live bait fishing has changed for several solid reasons. 

First, knowledge and skill are required to catch smallmouth with live bait; it is a challenge.  Knowledge and skill are also required to catch the proper indigenous bait for smallmouth.  No commercially raised minnows on this angler’s hook.    

Second, the recent introduction of circle hooks for freshwater anglers can greatly reduce the ‘gut’ hooking of bass that happens far too often when using live bait.  However, circle hooks are only effective in live release of bass if anglers are properly educated about them.  

And finally, it’s fun to catch bass throughout the day rather than relying on particular weather conditions or sun angle to trigger an artificial lure bite.  With live bait native to the watershed, it seems possible to catch bass even under the toughest conditions. 

The Right Stuff 

Finicky bass recognize the difference between farm-raised preyfish and wild indigenous bait.  Behavioral clues of wild bait, natural scent, or whatever – I do not know but the bass do.   

There is also a pattern for live bait usage through the season.  I’ve already admitted to being lower on the learning curve in this area than others who have been at it for years.  So when it comes to selecting the proper bait for the exact time of the year, I turn to the wisdom of a local river rat.   

Sixteen-year-old Dustin Shay has been fishing French Creek since he was old enough to wade.  River fishing has been a family affair for the Shays.  Dustin acquired basic knowledge from his father who had it passed down from his father.  So when Dustin offers information, it is really coming from generations of river anglers. 

“Minnow-type forage is difficult to obtain from either the main creek or tributaries in the spring,” acknowledges Shay. “In May, we probably catch more smallmouth on nightcrawlers than any other live bait.  But that may be because we are fishing a lot of ‘crawlers for walleye at this time of year. 

“The good smallmouth bite starts in mid June as bass begin a transition from slower eddies, flats and pools to faster water.  It’s also the time when the crayfish begin molting.  It’s tough to beat a soft-shell crawdad for bass.  The problem is everything in the river likes those soft crabs too, and when you pitch one into an eddy, it becomes a race to see what species get it first.  A ‘mush’ crab cannot hold up for more than one bite.  That bite might be anything from a smallmouth to a carp to a river chub,” says Shay. 

If the crabs are not peeling because the water temperature isn’t right, Shay suggests using small hard-shell crawfish no longer than 2-1/2 inches, or a small slender minnow from the creek such as an emerald shiner.    

“Usually by mid July, the majority of crabs are done molting,” continues Shay.  “By now the smallmouth have shifted to summer location in riffle-type areas.  Whether they moved there to take advantage of particular forage or whether they are there for better water conditions, I do not know.  But once the crab bite is over, hellgrammites come on strong as the preferred smallmouth bait through early August.  Smallmouth are also taking minnows that are living in the riffles at this time, but the strongest minnow bite does not occur until a little later in the summer.” 

As the hellgrammite bite wanes sometime in August, smallmouth switch to feeding more heavily on preyfish that are associated with riffles and current.  The exact species of preyfish will vary from watershed to watershed.  In the Allegheny watershed of western Pennsylvania, anglers recognize this as blue dot time.  Blue dots, a.k.a. riffle runner minnows, are technically streamline chubs, but no one knows them by that name. 

“Blue dots are an excellent late summer and early fall bait for smallmouth,” states Shay.  “Dace, sand pike and various darters – all species that inhabit the riffles in the summer – are high on the list as well.  Shiners and junie suckers take smallies at this time too, but given a choice, smallmouth really seem to prefer those delicate blue dot minnows.” 

As water temperature begins the annual dramatic drop in October, a major shift occurs in the type of baitfish preferred by smallmouth.  The various riffle minnows become very difficult to find.  But larger minnow-type prey in somewhat slower water becomes more readily available. 

Stoney pokers shoot to the top of the list in early October as river bass begin moving from riffle areas to slower water.  These brown sucker-like minnows are found in pools of tributary streams, along with common shiners that are migrating out of the main river flow.   

Shay says that common river shiners (entirely different body shape from emeralds and other slender shiners) begin to gain greater favor with smallmouth at this time.  Common shiners climb in status as bait though the cold water of late fall. 

“As the water temp drops, smallmouth move to pool areas,” explains Shay.  “I often find bass in very shallow water, including little back eddies where leaves have collected.  I’ll fish a shiner without any weight, working just under the floating leaves.  It can be deadly.  This is the only time I do not fish live bait on the bottom.” 

By late fall with water temperature in the 40s, Dustin goes to a jig and minnow combination to work the deeper holes.  The ‘minnow’ may be a shiner, junie sucker, or creek chub depending on what he can obtain at the time.  Bait becomes more difficult to trap as winter approaches, and the best course is to have a live box in a tributary stream with as many preyfish as legally allowed. 

Tools Of the Trade 

Rigging live bait is simple.  One or two small splitshot are affixed to the line 10 to 18 inches above the hook.  Use enough weight to keep the bait ticking along bottom, but not enough to anchor it in place. 

Shay has always used standard bait hooks, such as Eagle Claw Model 80.  He employed a #6 for hellgrammites and crayfish, and anything from a #6 to a #1/0 for preyfish, depending on the size of the bait.  For preyfish, the gap of the hook needs to be slightly greater than the height of the baitfish’s head. 

However, I recently showed Shay the benefits of circle hooks in live bait fishing, and he plans to switch over.  Circle hooks have the tip of the point curled inwards towards the shank.  To the first time user, it seems like it would be impossible to hook a fish with one of these ‘bent’ points.  However, when the hookset is done properly, the hook will end up in the corner of the mouth and can be easily removed. 

Never snap, jerk or pull sharply to set a circle hook.  And don’t feed the fish line.  Instead simply let the line tighten as the fish moves off with the bait and maintain firm pressure.  If you detect a hit but the line does not move, reel slowly and steadily to set the hook.  Any rod movement in the hookset process should be a slow sweep with minimal force behind it. 

A circle hook works something like this: when a fish engulfs prey, it starts to sallow it.  If gentle pressure is applied to the line, the bait slips out of the throat and past the gills due to the severely turned in point.  But as the line is pulled out the corner of the mouth, that funny point catches.  It works fine if the fish is moving away from you.  But hookups generally fail if the fish is facing you or swimming towards you – situations you can’t always control.   

Circle hooks are not 100% effective, and deep hooking will still occur occasionally.  However, by squeezing the barb flat, hook removal can be expedited.  (The bent-in point keeps live bait on the hook, so the barb is not needed.)   

Sizing of circle hooks is different than standard hooks, and frankly I do not understand it.  Hopefully in the near future, hook manufacturers will somehow develop standards for circle hooks.  But for now, it is a good idea to have the hooks in hand to determine the size you want.  Here’s why: a size #12 Eagle Claw L787 Circle Hook is closer to the gap on a standard  #6 baithook, while a #2/0 Mustad Demon Circle Hook is about the size of standard #2 baithook. 

Placing bait on circle hooks is a bit tricky due to the turned in point, and it may take a little practice.  

While some anglers hook hellgrammites under the collar, Shay hooks them through the head.  This method reduces line twist and presents the bait more naturally.  Holding the hellgrammite by the collar, bring the hook through the back of the head from the bottom to the top.   

Crayfish are hooked once through the tail section, from the bottom to the top.  Minnows are kept alive longer by bringing the hook through the lower jaw and then through a nostril on the head.  

The proper rod and line complete the necessary tools.  The action or taper of a live bait rod is critical.  Six and eight-pound test lines are commonly used.  The rod blank should not be so stiff that the bait is thrown off during a cast.  Instead, the rod should have some forgiveness but enough backbone to aid in the hookset and control large fish.  A 6-1/2 to 7-foot medium-light power with a moderate fast taper makes for a good rod.  Presently I am using a Shimano VST66ML, an excellent live bait action.

To help detect light hits, I use hi-vis fluorescent Trilene XL main line with a two-foot leader of fluorocarbon of the same pound test.  The fluorocarbon leader is invisible in the water and very abrasion resistant.  Attach the leader with back-to-back Uni knots, or use a small swivel.  A swivel is not a bad idea since it will reduce line twist as bait tumbles with the current.

Past Articles

EAST MEETS WEST ON LAKE ERIE
TACKLING RIVER SMALLMOUTH IN THE FALL
INDIGENOUS BAIT
SUPER SHALLOW SUMMER
CREATURES OF THE NIGHT
CRANKY SMALLMOUTH
TINY TORPEDO
LAKE ERIE “BEST” FOR SMALLMOUTH BASS
HOW TO CATCH THE BIGGEST SMALLMOUTH OF YOUR LIFE
IN QUEST OF CENTER HILL SMALLMOUTH
LOVE THOSE HELLGRAMMITES!