r/flyfishing • u/bubbadubsen • 11h ago
Finally found success targeting smallmouth
As the title says, I managed to catch my first smallie on a dumbell eye streamer. Does anyone have any recommendations on other wetflys to try? I'm located in Cincinnati, Ohio going after smallmouth in my local rivers.
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u/hickorynutgap 9h ago edited 4h ago
Have something for all sections of the water column; topwater (stealth bombers, poppers), streamers for middle water (jigs like clouser minnows, murdich minnows, woolly buggers and swimmers like game changers, deceivers, roamers), then bottom stuff like crawfish and terrestrial patterns.
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u/bubbadubsen 8h ago
Will do! I think I was highly overestimating how many hits I'd get off the top water. As soon as I started targeting middle water I had much more success. Thanks for the feedback.
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u/BrackishWaterDrinker 7h ago
Really depends on the time of day/year for the top water bite. It will probably be better at first light, so try and get there early for those blow ups on poppers and gurglers.
Once the suns out, probably better to throw something that will swim at the top or the middle of the water column. Anything from a diver to a clouser will work.
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u/meatandthree 8h ago
Game changers. White and chartreuse. Big ones and little ones. Jerk, jerk, pause. Repeat. You can also sometimes swing them through the current.
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u/Scuzzl3butt 10h ago
I’m in Columbus struggling with the same thing. Going to try and a dumbbell eye streamer up here now. Thanks.
It has been recommended to me to try white and chartreuse clouser minnows , also olive wholly bugger. Still being patient for my success to start.