Nice day on the Ohio

Gettin my car worked on so took a rod along to fish while i waited.  Bought a dozen crawlers and headed to the Ohio river at a dam.  As I made my way down the rock wall i spotted a guy in a kayak with a fish on...good sign.  Saw some HUGE CARP right along shore.  Couldnt get em to bite though.  Within minutes had my first hookup, a little smallie.  Then another, then another.  Shoulda retied my hook, the line was looking a little knicked up, but i got lazy.  Hard hit, zing of the reel, and....gone.  How many times must i learn this lesson?  Tied a new hook on, and like clockwork the hits started again.  This time a couple catfeesh in the 5-7lb range. Then something slammed my bait.  Boy those smallmouth put up a fight!  It felt like a 10 pound fish at first!  Jumps, runs, dives.  Ended up being 3 lbs or so, lots of fun.  Sorry no pics, but just wanted to share.  I had no real expectations other than just passing the time, but the feesh were hungry today!  It figures the one time i DONT want my car to be done on time, it was!  I think i coulda continued casting and catching for hours with worms or artificials, or maybe even a bare hook!  One of those (rare) days.  

Nice congrats

Where you fishing on the top or the bottom? I havent river fished much but I live in beaver county and can hit the beaver or ohio river really easy and I was looking to get into some of the smallmouth action. Were you using rubber worms as well? I know you said artificial just didnt know if you meant lures or plastics worms and such? I am wondering if it is more benneficial to be on top or bottom I dont know if it differs at all from lake fishing. I fished the beaver river one day years ago and had a good day but havent fished the river in probably 8yrs. I fished in the potomac in virginia and caught some huge cats when I was younger but just started to get some time to go fishing again so just looking on how I should plan for the river. Sounds like a fun day though that is the kind of action im looking for.