All about Smallmouth

While GP and watermelon are great colors, I'll bet that almost every smallie in Erie has fallen to, or at least seen a tube in that color.  For me, it's a programmed response when a stranger asks what the smallies are hitting on.  I think fish get conditioned to seeing certain baits and colors and know what to avoid.  Slight color variations make a big difference.  Watermelon/gold, green pumpkin/copper and black/red flake have been producers for me in the past.  The last couple years I've gotten away from tube fishing and started drop-shotting.  Worms, tubes and minnow baits all work.

I'll go along with trout, I do catch alot of smallies on tubes but in the last couple years the baits fished on a drop shot have slowly turned to my number 1 style. One thing I have found, if it's windy and kind of rolling, the tube seems to be better than a drop shot (for me anyway). I think it has to do with not being able to feel a drop shot or keep it down, a tube with a heavier internal head will stay in contact with the bottom. I also think that on windy days a that a tube just a skipping and banging along is a great trigger for the bronzies.
 
Another thing, since switching to Gamma Edge floro I have been able to use much smaller pound test line. I use 4 or 6 lb test on my drop shot and 8 on tubes. I REALLY think it has gotten me more bites that traditional mono or other floros.

In the past I had good luck with spinner baits, but that is not the bait anymore for me. I have switched to a multicolored worm with the lightest weight I can get away with.

ORIGINAL: Mikastorm

Good ol shiners for me. Had a great time a few years back at the wall using them. Must have caught 50 or more.

Shiners can be a hot ticket. Ive been trying to get away from live bait. I seem to dump out more then I use. One time on the susquehanna in feb me and a buddy used five buckets full before noon.

I use two or three colors of tube jigs and crawfish Shad Raps in Lake Erie.  Don't seem to need anything else to get a few when I find them.

In early spring I use a spoon. It works great an you do get an occasional steelhead.

Hi, I like Erie for steelhead but haven't fished for anything else there. I don't like being on boats and like to wade fish. I normally use a fly rod but have a couple cheap spinning outfits laying around. How would I go about fishing along PA Erie shores and creek mouths. I guess smallmouth is the desired catch but I like to catch anything. May I have some information about wade fishing please? Catch and release, don't care to hassel with stringers and dead fish, I just like the catching part.

Adamsdry, the time to catch smallies in the Lake Erie tribs is NOW! There are various reports and threads about it. You will have very little success catching main Lake smallies after this time of year. After the spawn they move to off shore brealkines and rockpiles.