Having never fished for smallies before, I need some help. What is the best way to fish for them? Help on baits, lures, rigs, locations (not specific spots but what to look for) would all be appreciated. Thanks.

FS

I don't know of any smallmouth water in your area other than perhaps Silver Lake, but maybe that is more of a largemouth lake. Best places for smallies? Banks Lake, Potholes, and Sammamish are my favorite places. Best lures: Yamamato twin tail jigs. But there is nothing like a 3# smallie crushing a rattletrap being retrieved quickly. Good luck!

they're all over riffe lake. black lake here in thurston co. and lake tapps have them too

i usually fish a 1/4 or 1/8oz jig with a 2" or 3" curly tail grub. find rockpiles and flats, that's where they'll be.

fish seeker
Mayfield and Riffe are where you want to try first, A good way to get started is to Texas rig a night crawler below a bobber so it just hangs above the bottom.... Then find any grassy or weedy area with an opening and try to keep the worm in the hole..
A great place to start is the Riffe Lake Boat ramp access road off of fern gap, Or the county park on the mossyrock end.

fishing curly tail jigs in the rocky areas where the cowlitz runs into riffe is a surefire way to get into the smallies

I have found smallmouths to love crawdads. Caught a lot on black/brown jigs and crankbaits in crawdad colors. Middle Columbia around Vantage area and Banks Lake are very good spots to try

Something I just saw off the Mardon Resort Website. Take with a grain of salt, Things always seem more optimistic than reality.

FRENCHMAN'S WASTEWAY
Yakima residents Jackie and Mike Gaudette trolled between the mouth of Frenchman's and Blythe Point boat launch with plugs. They hooked 10 smallmouth to 5 lb. 8 oz. They had their best smallmouth day so far but it's early in the season.

Darleen Maahs of Federal Way fished the mouth of Frenchman's with crawlers where she caught a 10 lb. channel catfish and a 5 lb. 8 oz. smallmouth bass.
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There's only one left, Good I'll take it.

IC Fish,

What time of year and day do you fish around Vantage? I've tried numerous times North of the bridge and have had no luck.... other than squaw fish. Any hints you have would be great!

Thanks!

Dan

Thanks for all the help. It appears that I will start with grubs and crayfish crankbaits. It also looks like rocky areas are the way to go, so that is where I will start. I had no idea Black Lk and Mayfield had smallmouths, so I will try there as well. Is it hard to fish Mayfield in the summer with waterskiers? Once again thanks.

FS

Sunland,

Go down South of the bridge. Where Crab Creek dumps in the river is a good spot from shore. Casting black jigs tipped with a nightcrawler has always worked well there for me. Farther south is the Buck Shot area. Great area for some big smallmouths from shore also. If you have a boat launch at Buck Shot and hit any rocky areas along the shorelines. Spring and Fall are the best times. Go soon as things tapper off close to shore for the bank fisherman.

Good Luck

IC Fish,

Is Crab Creek on the south side of Wanapum Dam? I'm not familiar with Crab Creek??? I was hoping to find a place North of Wanapum Dam as I have some property North of the dam.

Thanks!

Dan

Sunland,

Crab Creek is South of Wanapum. There are some areas I've heard where the old highway goes down into the river North of I-90 that has some good fishing.

A friend last year caught several smallmouths along the freeway as it goes out into the river. He was slow trolling a mepps minnow Squaw Fish will also be caught anywhere in the Wanapum Pool.

I've fished some of the bays North of the I-90 bridge up to the Sunland area. I assume thats where your property is at. I caught perch and both small smallmouth and largemouth bass in them.

Good Luck!