rigme

Smallmouth Bass

Micropterus dolomieu · also: smallie, bronzeback, achigan à petite bouche

The hardest-fighting fish in Canadian fresh water, pound for pound. Rock, current and clear water.

Where to find them

Great Lakes (Erie, Ontario, Georgian Bay, St. Clair), Lake Simcoe, the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers, thousands of Shield lakes, BC's Okanagan and Vancouver Island lakes.

Rigs by season

SeasonWhere and what to tie
Late spring (opener)Shallow rock and gravel flats. Ned rig, wacky rig, tubes, jerkbaits.
SummerDeeper rock, boulders, sand-grass edges and current seams. Drop shot, Ned rig, Carolina rig, topwater at dawn.
FallSchooled on deep structure and feeding hard. Drop shot, blade baits, jig and minnow, swimbaits.

Gear

A 7' medium or medium-light spinning rod, 10 lb braid to an 8 lb fluoro leader. That single setup fishes drop shot, Ned, tubes and wacky.

Bait and lures

Goby, crayfish and perch imitations. Green pumpkin, brown, and "goby" plastics; live crayfish and minnows where legal.

Tips

  • Downsize and slow down when they get pressured — the drop shot is the fix.
  • Fish the wind-blown side of a reef or point.
  • Check the season: bass are closed until late June in most of Ontario and Quebec.

Rigs for smallmouth bass

15 rigs

Texas Rig diagramMain lineBullet weight (slides)Palomar knotOffset worm hook, point buried

Texas Rig

The weedless soft-plastic rig every bass angler learns first. A bullet weight slides on the line above a hook buried in the plastic, so it slips through weeds and wood without hanging up.

bassBeginnerLargemouth BassSmallmouth Bass
Carolina Rig diagramMain line (15–20 lb)Egg weight 3/4 oz (slides)Bead Barrel swivelLeader 18–48"Offset hook, Texas-rigged

Carolina Rig

A heavy sliding weight, a bead, a swivel and a long leader let a soft plastic drift naturally behind the weight. Perfect for covering deep points, flats and rock piles.

bassBeginnerLargemouth BassSmallmouth Bass
Drop-Shot Rig diagramBraid main lineFG / Alberto knotFluoro leaderHook stands out, point upTag end 12–24"Drop-shot weight

Drop-Shot Rig

The weight goes on the bottom and the hook is tied above it, so the bait hovers off the bottom right where suspended fish feed. The number one finesse rig for smallmouth in Ontario and Quebec.

bassBeginnerSmallmouth BassLargemouth Bass
Wacky Rig diagramFluoro 8–12 lbPalomar knotWacky hook through O-ringWorm hooked at its middle, both ends free

Wacky Rig

A stick bait hooked through the middle so both ends flutter as it sinks. The simplest rig on this site and one of the best for pressured, shallow bass.

bassBeginnerLargemouth BassSmallmouth Bass
Ned Rig diagramLight fluoro or braid + leaderPalomar knotMushroom head + buoyant stick

Ned Rig

A short, buoyant plastic on a light mushroom-shaped jighead that stands up on bottom. The rig that made "do nothing" finesse fishing famous — and a smallmouth killer in Canadian rivers and lakes.

bassBeginnerSmallmouth BassLargemouth Bass
Shaky Head Rig diagramFluoro 8–12 lbPalomar knotShaky head, worm Texas-rigged

Shaky Head Rig

A finesse worm Texas-rigged on a stand-up jighead. Shake the rod tip and the worm dances upright on the bottom. The go-to when bass are pressured or the bite is slow.

bassBeginnerLargemouth BassSmallmouth Bass
Tokyo Rig diagramHeavy fluoro or braid Swivel + solid ringHook Texas-rigged, bait hoversWire dropper 2–3"Weight(s) on wire

Tokyo Rig

A hook, a solid ring and a short wire dropper with the weight on it. The bait sits a few inches above the weight and flutters in place — a Texas rig with a drop-shot attitude.

bassIntermediateLargemouth BassSmallmouth Bass
Free Rig diagramFluoro 12–16 lbFree-rig weight on swivel eye (slides)Egg sinkerPalomar knotOffset hook, Texas-rigged

Free Rig

A free-sliding weight on a swivel clip, then a hook tied directly to the line. The weight drops first and the plastic glides down behind it on a slack line — a Carolina rig with no leader to tie.

bassBeginnerLargemouth BassSmallmouth Bass
Slip Bobber Rig diagramMono 6–8 lbBobber stop (sets depth)BeadSlip float (slides)Split shot12–18"Octopus hook + leech

Slip Bobber Rig

A bobber stop, a bead and a sliding float let you fish live bait at any exact depth and still cast easily. The rig that puts walleye in the boat on rock reefs at dusk.

walleyeBeginnerWalleyeBlack Crappie
Jig and Minnow diagramMono/fluoro 6–8 lbPalomar or loop knotJighead 1/4 ozMinnow hooked up through the lips

Jig and Minnow

A lead-head jig with a live minnow hooked through the lips. The rig for spring walleye in the rivers and fall walleye on the reefs, from the Bay of Quinte to the Winnipeg River.

walleyeBeginnerWalleyeSauger
Lindy Rig (Live Bait Rig) diagramMain line 8 lbWalking sinker (slides) Barrel swivelLeader 3–6 ftOctopus hook + leech

Lindy Rig (Live Bait Rig)

A walking sinker slides on the main line above a swivel and a long leader to a plain hook with a leech, crawler or minnow. Feed line to a biting walleye and it never feels the weight.

walleyeBeginnerWalleyeSauger
Bottom Bouncer Rig diagramMain lineBottom bouncerLeader 3–6 ftHook or harness

Bottom Bouncer Rig

An L-shaped wire with a weight on the long leg and a swivel on the short arm. It walks over rock and gravel almost snag-free while towing a harness, crankbait or live-bait leader.

walleyeBeginnerWalleyeSauger
Split-Shot Rig diagramMono 4–6 lbSplit shot (1–2)12–18"#6–#10 baitholder + worm

Split-Shot Rig

One or two split shot pinched on the line above a small baited hook. The simplest bottom rig there is and the standard for drifting worms for stream trout.

troutBeginnerTrout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow, Lake)Yellow Perch
Dry-Dropper Rig diagramTapered leader 3X–4XBuoyant dry fly (floats)Tippet 12–30" off the bendBeadhead nymph

Dry-Dropper Rig

A buoyant dry fly acts as the indicator with a small nymph hanging 12–30 inches below it. Two chances on every drift — one on top, one underneath.

troutIntermediateTrout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow, Lake)Grayling
Flatline Trolling Rig diagramMain line 10–12 lb Ball-bearing swivelFluoro leader 4–8 ftCross-lock snapFloating stickbait / crankbait

Flatline Trolling Rig

A crankbait or stickbait tied to a short fluorocarbon leader and a small snap, trolled behind the boat with no added weight. The easiest way to find fish in a new lake.

multiBeginnerWalleyeNorthern Pike