Summer 2022
Like ayu and shiner patterns, natural colors work best in clear water. White is better suited for cloudy conditions, while black is somewhat of a “wild card” that can work when other colors fail to produce.
Light to medium-light action spinning rod exceeding 7-feet long assists with making super- long casts to skittish smallmouth and keeps them pinned on tiny light wire treble hooks by absorbing their energy. DiMarcantonio prefers a G-Loomis SJR 902 spinning rod paired with a Shimano Stradic 3000 series reel spooled with high quality limp 6-pound fluorocarbon line.
There is no need to be intimidated by light-line techniques with the right gear.
“Don’t overthink it,” DiMarcantonio said. “Just cast the spybait out, count it down to half the depth of the water column and start reeling. The fish will do the rest. The bait should be a
few feet down when it gets to the boat. You’re reeling too fast if it’s riding just under the surface.”
There are days when smallmouth won’t eat much, if even at all. When they just won’t chew, you can try a drop shot, but those anglers looking to master the spybait must commit to throwing it all day until they become confident.
When the smallies do bite, be ready with the proper hook set. Most importantly, do NOT set the
hook when your line goes
tight as a smallmouth
swims off with your
spybait!
“Reel down on
the bite to take the
slack out of your line
and sweep the rod
afterward,” advised
DiMarcantonio. “You will
lose most of your fish if you
start setting the hook on
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