Smallmouth fishing on Pool 10 of the Mississippi continues to be excellent. I’ve been experimenting on recent outings pitching blade baits in shallow water and have caught a bunch of nice fish. I’ve been frustrated with a couple of issues with this technique, however, and I figure there are walleye guys on this site who have this system refined.
First, I’ve been losing a lot of fish. I’ve experimented with several different blade baits and many have low quality, small hooks but upsizing leads to many wasted casts when the hooks become entangled or catch the line above the bait. What’s the best overall blade for pitching in relatively shallow water and do you modify the baits at all?
Second, what’s your favorite rod/line combo for this style of fishing?
Any insights appreciated–thanks!