Spur of the moment North Toe bass

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
Randomly decided to fish a hole on the North Toe that we haven’t hit in over a year. Nothing groundbreaking but some nice fighters for being in 2ft of water around dinner time. Also caught an assortment of rock bass and little smallies. Had a 8” rock bass on my line and a big ole smallie came right to the bank to try to hit it. Great day. 1DDBB738-51EE-4AD1-9FB4-2FB1B7337BEA.jpegA883DD62-2A6D-4997-B094-E29EBCE95924.jpeg
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
Behind trout nothing I like better to chase than wading for smallmouth. What y'all catching em on?
I wholeheartedly agree...except lately catfish have been in my wheelhouse. We used different stuff...big night crawlers and the rest plastics...black zoom worms, crawfish imitations, curl tail minnows etc
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
I wholeheartedly agree...except lately catfish have been in my wheelhouse. We used different stuff...big night crawlers and the rest plastics...black zoom worms, crawfish imitations, curl tail minnows etc
Rebel crawdad is my favorite artificial to use for an but live hellgrammites are the most deadly they can't resist em
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
Oh yeah caught many using them I'm from mtns in Va small mouth galore. I love the New River in Va lot big ones caught there hellgrammites are tough bait usually can catch 4 to 7 on one their nickname where I'm from is toughies.

Stupid question, but can ya buy hellgrammites? I’ve seen them in rivers sporadically but not consistently enough to use as bait for a day. Also, how do you rig up the rebel craws?
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Stupid question, but can ya buy hellgrammites? I’ve seen them in rivers sporadically but not consistently enough to use as bait for a day. Also, how do you rig up the rebel craws?
We always used minnow seine stretched it across some swift water maybe knee high couple rocks to hold bottom down and couple of us went above the net with hoe turned over rocks let the water wash em into net. It takes some time and hitting lot spots but well worth it small mouth can't resist them cats will eat em to as well as trout. We usually spent half day collecting bait then go camp day or two its the one bait I've never seen fail. As far as the rebels they are just artificial lures you have to adjust for size fish in water like the new river in nc around state park is full of small sized fish the rebels didn't work that great but in Va below dam and in West Va new rivet as well bigger fish
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
Yeah I know exactly what the rebel craws are....I’m picturing them as super light weight....do you fish em with some weight
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Berkley Gulp makes hellgrammite baits

Never tried them but sometimes see em in the stores
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
I’m def gonna try this sometime soon thanks for the suggestions. We’re blessed to live in a place with so many natural resources and so many folks willing to educate a guy like me that became an outdoorsman after age 30!!
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
I've never seen them for sale probably due to difficulty of catching. It is bit work but well worth effort lot people not willing to do it. I will add couple things certain time year you can just flip rocks on sandy bank and catch fair amt and trust me if you like to fish its well worth effort I wouldn't head to new river or James with buddies without couple dozen if I was serious about big smallies. The rebel crawdad I mentioned the same company sells artificial hellgrammites as well it will catch some but not like the real thing
 
Last edited:

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
I like a size 6 or 4 Eagle Claw 704 circle hook for fishing live bait for smallmouth bass

I've never seen hellgrammmites for sale but you can keep them in aquariums for use in future fishing trips.

A 10 gallon aquarium with a internal filter works fine.

They are definitely found in lower densities than up in VA, WNC streams being less fertile
 
Last edited:
Top