Smallmouth Bass patterns? help plz

[Matt McK 0]

Ive been searching for a while for a nymph smallmouth bass pattern or any smaller pattern that will work for brem or largemouth bass as well. There are not a copious amount of smallmouth bass in the river im fishing, but I would like a pattern that will work for them as well as any other fish in the river.

Thanks in advance for the help,

Matt

[utyer 0]

Fish (including smallmouth,) will eat what ever is in the water. If trout are eating hare's ears, pheasant tails, prince nymphs, etc, then smallies will eat them too.Find out what kind of bugs live in the rivers you fish, and tie nymphs that represent those insects.

[Peterjay 0]

Yeah, what he said. Kinda think of them as big trout - they eat pretty much the same things. I'd lean toward baitfish imitations: muddlers, streamers, woolly buggers, etc. When I lived in Maine, I caught a lot of SM on chartreuse marabou muddlers. I was actually after salmon, but the bass seemed to like whatever I threw out there.

[ditz2 0]

I think I forgot to mention the blind squirrel size in size 10 to 6. Bluegill and rockbass love them too. Everythink in the creeks that I fish willingly eat them

[Rocco 0]

Hex nymphs and hare's ears tied in the Borger strip nymph style in sizes 6 to 10 get hammered by smallmouth and river gills and red eye alike. I mainly use the bigger ones to keep the little gills from deeply inhaling them.

 

You can dead drift them through deep holes; swing them across and down; or fish them in fast strips to make them rise like emergers.

 

Also deadly on trout but that is offf topic.

 

Rocco

[essequamvideri 0]

I have had a lot of success with Bead Head Zug Bugs and Bead Head Prince Nymphs. I usually carry them in the larger 8's and 10's. I have been on many river where I have taken smallies on these flies. They are my two go to flies for searching new waters.

[Guest]

For complete confidence in crossover between those three groups (LM, SM, and Bream), I like a size 6 Zonker, Woolly Bugger, or leech pattern.

[Brian Myers 0]

May not be a nymph but Size 10 streamer hook , 7/32 black brass dumbbell eye tied at the hook eye, med. rootbeer cactus chenille, orange marabou or rabbit fur(from a zonker strip) tail with a single piece of krystal fash on either side of it. Simple to tie and works killer (during crayfish season) on smallies (any size) , sunfish and river chubs, should be great for carp too. Only thing is smallies over 10-12" seem to take it very lightly and it's easy to miss the take. Need to tie up a bunch more as my last one remained in the river.

[Brian Myers 0]

Oops make that 7/64" dumbell eye

[tidewaterfly 0]

IMO, there are many patterns that work well for Smallmouths. Most any of the larger trout nymphs in common use, particularly Stonefly nymphs work quite well.

 

Here's one of my favorites & it's my own pattern. It was intended to be a Stonefly, but could imitate Hellgrammites or possibly crayfish. I've caught a lot of fish with it, including both SM & LM bass, carp, & various panfishes.

 

I also used to tie it in other colors such as amber, rust or shades of yellow, but they all got limited use, so now the colors in the recipe are what I go with.

 

I now only tie it on a size 2 hook, but it could be tied on most size you wish.

 

 

Pattern Recipe:
Hook: Togen's Black Nickel Curved Shank, size 2
Thread: Black ( I use Danville Flat Waxed Nylon)
Bead: Tungsten, or Brass (lead wire can also be added if you need it that heavy, but tungsten usually gets it done for me)
Tail & Legs: Silicone or rubber
Under Body: Rabbit Dubbing ( black, olive/black, olive) Hareline makes some great dubbings, such as Haretron that can be used.
Ribbing: Transparent black vinyl, something with a rounded surface. ( originally Swannandaze)
Thorax: 2 wraps of Estaz. Opalescent black, or olive

Wrap the dubbing by whatever method you prefer, and pick it out between the ribbing wraps with a bodkin to give it a buggy appearance.