smallmouth / clauser minnow setup

C

cl3

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May 4, 2016
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Hi:

I'd like to wade fish the Susquehanna River tomorrow evening (flow may be ok) and I have a 9' 5wt rod. Would tying a 7.5' 5x leader to the line and then a smaller section of 6x tippet to the minnow be the right way to start this up? Or go heavier? Thank you.
 
Smallmouth are not leader shy. I'd go heavier, 2X works well for me.
 
I mostly use 3x for smallmouth. And you certainly could go heavier.

But don't go lighter. For some reason 4x gets snapped easily, by both trout and smallmouth, when fishing streamers, but 3x does not.

When smallmouth fishing, don't even carry anything lighter than 3x with you.

 
Yep...3x or heavier. I actually just use a furled leader with a piece of plain old 10 lb mono at the end. Even just a decent sized Smallie will make quick work of 5 or 6x.
 
Thank you all. I'm heading out later this afternoon.
 
A 5 wt on the Susquehanna is a bit light. You will have a hard time fighting even a small bass in the current. I personally use a fast action 6 wt and I wish it was a 7 wt at times. Buy yourself a spool of 10 lb mono to use for tippet. No need to go any lighter.


not sure where your from but the flows from confluence of the juniata down to the Chesapeake are likely way too high for safe wading. The susky can be quite dangerous at times.
 
The river was muddy and flow was too high. The section of rifles I wanted to fish wasn't even rifle-ly! So I ate my sandwich and chips and had a couple of oat sodas!

I'm in northeast PA.

What about using my 9wt rod?
 
cl3,

If it were me, for the Susky I'd take a 9WT out for smallies before a 5WT. If you decide you've got the river bassin bug, you could opt for a 7WT purchase in the future. For most of my bass fishing I use 14lb tippet.

If you're planning to fish a rocky area of the Susky - which is most of the river in areas where water is shallow - by very careful. This is more important than what rod weight to use. I strongly recommend a wading staff and felt soles at the least. I use cleated soles for wading this river due to the large boulders and ledge rock. The North Branch in NEPA isn't quite as bad as some of the areas down around Harrisburg, but it is still tricky wading.
 
Thanks Dave, and noted.

I've waded with the spinning rod plenty, and in fact will be on our annual float in a couple of weeks. Hopefully by then the flow will be down to "normal." It's easy wading when it's right, up by me anyway.

I will go with the 9wt. I did tie 2X leader with 2X tippet, which is 8lbs. On my spinning rods I actually have 4lb and 6lb and do pretty well with helgrammites.
 
You could just use some of your 6 lb test spinning line for your tippet (end of leader).

 
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