Smallmouth on the popper...

Josh

Dead in the water
Staff member
Admin
So, after getting some encouragement on this thread from @HauntedByWaters and @Northern , I put some time into trying to lure smallies out from under docks with poppers on the local lake. I don't know why I had it in my head that smallmouth weren't into poppers. I guess I just assumed they were after crawdads more than anything? Anyway, I just used the basic bright foam popper that all the mail order fly places sell. No idea why, I've got a few badass flies that some forum members have sent me. I guess I just didn't really believe in it and didn't want to beat the nice flies up around docks? The cheap-o poppers are also a bit smaller. So I thought maybe that would fit the smallie game better? Save the dead chickens for the bucketmouths? And yes, I acknowledge that in that thread I link to above I was told:

A. I could catch smallies on poppers in this lake.
B. I didn't need to focus on docks.
C. Smallies would take big flies.

Whatever, I'm an idiot sometimes. Anyway, it's what I went with.

First time out, no dice. Mostly I suspect it was because I went out on the first sunny weekend evening. So even at 8pm, the lake was rocking with jetski/wakeboard traffic. I was also fishing a stretch that was close to the main public park/launch. So that just amplified the effect. I often romanticize the idea of living on a lake and having a relaxing evening watching the water from my lawn. But this was a good reminder that lake life has it's own troubles (troubles I would happily deal with, mind you). NOT relaxing. Anyway, once the water finally calmed down enough to be good for topwater, I completely missed the few strikes I had. @Billy encouraged me to sloooow down on the hookset and really let them get it in there before putting the wood to them.
IMG_1783.jpg
Headed out for a quick dawn patrol session a few days later (lake is much less chaotic at 5am) and had way better luck. Caught the first one in a quiet corner and then got a nice "That's a big fish, mister!" compliment from a 6 year old in her pajamas who was letting her little dog outside. Kinda awesome. Caught a couple more, nothing giant, just the standard 2-2.5lbs I find in this lake. But a ton of fun on the glass 7wt.

IMG_1784.jpeg

So I'm pretty stoked. I can see how bass on topwater is addicting. The takes are really surprising and aggressive. And I'm stoked to find out that smallies are into it as well if you catch them at the right time of year. Feel free to post any smallmouth popper flies/techniques/suggestions in the comments. I'd love to hear them.
 

iveofione

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
So, after getting some encouragement on this thread from @HauntedByWaters and @Northern , I put some time into trying to lure smallies out from under docks with poppers on the local lake. I don't know why I had it in my head that smallmouth weren't into poppers. I guess I just assumed they were after crawdads more than anything? Anyway, I just used the basic bright foam popper that all the mail order fly places sell. No idea why, I've got a few badass flies that some forum members have sent me. I guess I just didn't really believe in it and didn't want to beat the nice flies up around docks? The cheap-o poppers are also a bit smaller. So I thought maybe that would fit the smallie game better? Save the dead chickens for the bucketmouths? And yes, I acknowledge that in that thread I link to above I was told:

A. I could catch smallies on poppers in this lake.
B. I didn't need to focus on docks.
C. Smallies would take big flies.

Whatever, I'm an idiot sometimes. Anyway, it's what I went with.

First time out, no dice. Mostly I suspect it was because I went out on the first sunny weekend evening. So even at 8pm, the lake was rocking with jetski/wakeboard traffic. I was also fishing a stretch that was close to the main public park/launch. So that just amplified the effect. I often romanticize the idea of living on a lake and having a relaxing evening watching the water from my lawn. But this was a good reminder that lake life has it's own troubles (troubles I would happily deal with, mind you). NOT relaxing. Anyway, once the water finally calmed down enough to be good for topwater, I completely missed the few strikes I had. @Billy encouraged me to sloooow down on the hookset and really let them get it in there before putting the wood to them.
View attachment 20704
Headed out for a quick dawn patrol session a few days later (lake is much less chaotic at 5am) and had way better luck. Caught the first one in a quiet corner and then got a nice "That's a big fish, mister!" compliment from a 6 year old in her pajamas who was letting her little dog outside. Kinda awesome. Caught a couple more, nothing giant, just the standard 2-2.5lbs I find in this lake. But a ton of fun on the glass 7wt.

View attachment 20703

So I'm pretty stoked. I can see how bass on topwater is addicting. The takes are really surprising and aggressive. And I'm stoked to find out that smallies are into it as well if you catch them at the right time of year. Feel free to post any smallmouth popper flies/techniques/suggestions in the comments. I'd love to hear them.
Good job Josh, smallmouth are a ton of fun anywhere, just a hoot on a fly rod. Our river smallmouth over here are really strong as a result of making their living in the current. So many times I have hooked one thinking it must be at least 16'' only to discover that it was less than 12''.
 

Billy

Big poppa
Staff member
Admin
I like to fish smallmouth on dawn trips as well. In my experience they will still take topwater sometimes long into the morning when you would think they would be retreating deep. Don't be afraid to dead stick a popper and just let it drift over a likely spot. It's a painful slow way to fish but I've caught some slabs doing nothing at all.
 

Coach Potter

Life of the Party
I like to fish smallmouth on dawn trips as well. In my experience they will still take topwater sometimes long into the morning when you would think they would be retreating deep. Don't be afraid to dead stick a popper and just let it drift over a likely spot. It's a painful slow way to fish but I've caught some slabs doing nothing at all.
Post spawn SM will eat top water all damn day sometimes. Depending of the clarity of the water you are fishing, they will also come from shocking depths. My favorite August Banks Lake pattern was to fish PopR’s on super steep banks that dropped into 20‘. There were days when it was 90 degrees and I would drop the trolling motor at “Hole in the Wall” and cruise 3-4 miles of shore line...catching fish the whole way. Surprisingly it was always the bigger fish that would crush those things. I’m convinced SM live an alternative lifestyle, think outside the box and they will surprise you.
 

Pink Nighty

Life of the Party
I've been having pretty decent success on a chart/pink miyawaki popper. Caught an absolute swamp donkey on one midday the other day without my camera for proof, 22" says the rod measurement. 130pm with bright sun overhead. Have also caught LMB and bluegill with it.

Especially good with some chop on the water, give a few good twitches and let it sit and jiggle.
 

Coach Potter

Life of the Party
The blue gill spawn is happening at a lot of lakes right now. The first cover adjacent to the spawning gills is a great place to ambush and ambusher😉
 

Greg Armstrong

Go Green - Fish Bamboo
Forum Supporter
The blue gill spawn is happening at a lot of lakes right now. The first cover adjacent to the spawning gills is a great place to ambush and ambusher😉
I watched a couple of bluegill (or some type of sunfish) protecting their beds on Lake Union the other day.
Hope I’m not hotspotting, or is this a secret lake? 🤨
9DEFE5CC-D08C-4987-A8E1-B258BB8ECC7C.jpeg
 

Josh

Dead in the water
Staff member
Admin
It appears that Lake Union has gone largely undiscovered by people😂
YOU CAN'T SAY THE NAME!

Who would have known that was Lake Union?

Joking aside, I would somehow love the idea of someone going bluegill fishing on the edges of Lake Union. PNW URBAN PANFISH
 

Greg Armstrong

Go Green - Fish Bamboo
Forum Supporter
YOU CAN'T SAY THE NAME!

Who would have known that was Lake Union?

Joking aside, I would somehow love the idea of someone going bluegill fishing on the edges of Lake Union. PNW URBAN PANFISH
Best to fish it early… like 3:00 AM to avoid the tour boats, float planes, hot tub boats, electric rental boats and standup paddle boarders, swimmers (…ewe!), and the newby kayakers.

It’s an urban fishery alright, but the hawgs are in there!!!! :ROFLMAO:
 

Northern

Seeking SMB
Forum Supporter
An otherwise slow fishing trip, but I did have a really cool SM popper take on a central WA lake a couple days ago:

I was cruising backwards in the Hobie in calm, open water and passed a big smallie hanging out at the surface. It startled a little, but then continued swimming in the direction I'd come from, just under the surface, leaving a wake. I had a popper on, so I threw it way out front and started popping it back with a splashy retrieve. The wake changed direction to head for it - a la Jaws - from 20 ft away and hammered it hard!
LDR'd, but fun nonetheless :D

Oh for a Go Pro at that moment!
 

Tom Butler

Grandpa, Small Stream Fanatic
Forum Supporter
It appears that Lake Union has gone largely undiscovered by people😂
YOU CAN'T SAY THE NAME!

Who would have known that was Lake Union?

Joking aside, I would somehow love the idea of someone going bluegill fishing on the edges of Lake Union. PNW URBAN PANFISH
Best to fish it early… like 3:00 AM to avoid the tour boats, float planes, hot tub boats, electric rental boats and standup paddle boarders, swimmers (…ewe!), and the newby kayakers.

It’s an urban fishery alright, but the hawgs are in there!!!! :ROFLMAO:
That lake was the south end of our home waters growing up. We would ride down the burke gillman from mathews beach and fish all day on any dock/anything we could get onto. Been reacquainting myself with fish with spines recently, it's a lot of fun.
 
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