Spawning river smallies... what to use?

[arkansasnative]

I'm going on a canoe trip for one of my wildlife classes next weekend and we have heard that were gonna catch the smallies right at spawning time on the Buffalo River. I've fished for them in the summer on the white and buffalo rivers (they're connected to each other) and usually do pretty good with a darker green or brown tube rigged texas style but i've never got to fish for them this early in the year. What do y'all normally throw for the spawn?

 

[LeviStevenson]

In my area during the spawn anything works. If they aren't hungry they are territorial and will take a bite of it if its near them. I generally use pumpkinseed with black pepper flaked tubes...double dipped cause they tear em up.

 

[mangelcc]

rattle-traps work great!!!

 

[200racing]

this is what i do for largemouth/spots
if you can see beds with fish around it take a smaller plastic lizzard on a jig head. cast past the bed and work it into the bed and shake it.this imitates a salemander eating eggs and draws a defense strike. i have caught the same fish multiple times doing this.

 

[cali27]

I through a small Mepps number 3 for my river smallies up here.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Tubes

 

[flatboat]

white snagless sally ,crawfish snagless, bright orange crank baits that look kinda like crawfish ,drift don't anchor ! you'll present to more fish ,maybe more active or aggressive . good luck and hang on !
river smallies are the best , not as big ... lot more bang for the buck ! imo
ed

 

[pepperrocks]

Both a carolina rig with a watermelon seed plastic, worm, lizard, tubes were working on Lake Lanier.

 

[Truckmechanic]

My favorite is a lizard but a close second it to rig a 3" senko type bait on a jig head . . . It seems to a great technique in my area.