smallies on Chompers

Been having pretty good luck recently targeting smallies along rocks–but especially around wood–in running sloughs and back channels of pool 9 throwing a Chompers skirted hula grub in green pumpkin on a 1/8 Charlie Brewer slider head rigged weedless. Whole key seems to be slow presentation and shaking the Chomper pretty much in place.Believe some smallies are hunkering down on spawning beds and want to attack more than eat. Biggest fish the other day was a 19 1/2 incher. Tis the nature of the basser to use that electric to move along. Anchoring up and fishing hard on wood where you move fish for 20 minutes had worked pretty well for me lately. That 19 1/2 incher carried the Chomper away 3 times before I could stick her. OF COURSE SHE WAS QUICKLY RELEASED!! In a couple of areas where the smallies are getting pounded pretty hard the fish will often move out and look–just like muskies–then skulk away. When this happens the Chomper is the ‘go to’ bait. Please free the fighter after the dance!!!

Ted,

19.5″ is a nice fish. What was the water depth that you were in?

Ted, those Chompers can really work well. Thanks for the report too. Sounds like it was a lot of fun.

Did you try any other baits like a tube or worm. I do real well on ringworms, tubes, and texas rigged lizards this time of the year. Shaking these baits is quite often a must. Thanks again!

We have had great luck with blue/black (more garlic than a Ceaser Salad) on 5A with smallies but unfortunately the sheepshead like ’em too.

I try chompers with the weedless stand-up jighead, by the
same name, but it has never become a mainstay, because like timberjigs, and pork… I just don’t get the numbers. When I do use it and get bit it is not uncommon for the fish to have nothing showing outside the mouth. On a closing dam near Blackhawk Park last fall we had the hook in the lip and the chompers in the mouth cavity only to have the Bucketmouth swallow it right in front of us!!! In Missouri and Arkansas on the big inpoundments the winter bite on the chompers appears to be second only to the Rogue bite according to locals. Can you tell us a little more about , under what conditions and other variables these seem to work best for you TEDPECK and are they regular Chompers or something else?