| One of the most effective techniques for catching | | | | hooks. If the worm is huge, break it in half. You want |
| Smallmouth Bass is in the flowing water of a river or | | | | the worm to be outstretched and natural. This is the |
| stream. Smallmouth can be fished for in much the | | | | rig. It's as simple as that. |
| same way that one fishes for trout. As a matter of | | | | Now cast out parallel to yourself and let the offering |
| fact, smallmouth bass in rivers and streams can be | | | | flow downstream naturally. The goal is to bounce |
| great practice for trout fishing. The bottom line is | | | | your offering off of the bottom, as it flows naturally |
| that if you strap on your waders and head out for | | | | downstream. When your offering is directly below |
| some Smallmouth action, this technique is for you. | | | | you, the drift is over, reel in and repeat. With |
| Not only is this a great smallmouth technique, it's also | | | | practice, the bottom and bites feel totally different. |
| as simple as it gets. | | | | Remember, the goal is to bounce your worm off the |
| To use this technique, you're only going to need 4 | | | | bottom as it flows naturally with the current. In order |
| things, and a river or stream that has smallmouth | | | | to do this you will have to add and/or remove split |
| bass in it! You're going to need small barrel swivels, | | | | shot as necessary. The nature of this technique does |
| Split shot sinkers, gang hooks, and live worms. You | | | | lead to getting snagged from time to time. As my |
| should also have things like hemostats for hook | | | | mentor used to tell me all the time, " If your not |
| removal, a bait bag for carrying your live worms, and | | | | getting snagged, you're not fishing in the right place." |
| a good attitude, but the 4 things above (in bold) are | | | | Getting snagged is simply part of the technique, and |
| the only things you need. It doesn't get much simpler | | | | no big deal once you see how effective it is. |
| than that. This technique truly is the essence of | | | | Give this wonderful, yet amazingly simple technique a |
| simplicity, and once mastered, is an incredible | | | | try sooner rather than later. As soon as you hook |
| technique for all types of fish. | | | | and land a 3-pound smallmouth bass, you'll be the one |
| Begin by grabbing the end of your line, and tying on a | | | | that's hooked, rather than just the fish. This |
| small barrel swivel. Now tie a set of gang hooks on | | | | technique is equally as effective on trout, so keep |
| the opposite side of the barrel swivel. Now add two | | | | that in mind as well. The most important aspect of |
| or three split shots onto your line above the swivel | | | | this technique is the gang hooks. You see, gang |
| itself (you need enough weight to get you to the | | | | hooks enable you to present the worm in a |
| bottom, so this varies by how much current you're | | | | completely natural manner, which as you will find is an |
| fishing in). Now, add a live worm to the set of gang | | | | integral part of this technique. |