I live in N.H.,where all the bass fishing is locked up due to hard water(except ice fishing which I don't do), with one nice exception...a warm water discharge from a power plant on the Merrimack river. I've heard people say live minnows will catch smallmouth all day, but I'm wondering what artificial lures to use, and any input on patterns would be useful. The water supposedly remains in the 60's in this one section.Thanks everybody!
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I live in N.H.,where all the bass fishing is locked up due to hard water(except ice fishing which I don't do), with one nice exc
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There are lots of ways to catch smallmouths in the kind of water you describe. For starters, I'd try an old reliable -- a 3-inch chartreuse, curled-tail grub on a 1/8- or 1/4-ounce round-head jig, fished on 6-pound-test mono. Use the heavier version in faster, deeper water. Be careful, though. While power-plant discharges are often good fishing spots, after 9/11 access to many such areas became increasingly restricted. Don't get into more hot water than you've bargained for....
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Thanks for the input. Just one thing, The lightest line I have is 14 lb floro (vanish). I do have the jig heads you describe, as well as the grubs. The water in this section is slow moving and around 12- 15 feet deep, so any other possible options you might suggest? The smallmouth here are good sized, between 2 and 5 lbs!
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I like the marabou jig idea posed by Alex. Curly tail jigs are a great bet too. I fished a lot on Lake Erie's warmwater discharges before they were patrolled. We always used crawfish or tube jigs. You can rig the tubes any way you want really. For the slower water I would say drop shot rig or texas rigging with a really light weight. Make steady pause and swim type retrieves. Those fish are feeding on baitfish that are being spewed out from the plant both dead and alive or wounded. "Match the hatch" so to speak and nail them smallies!
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