Going Slow For Coldwater Smallmouth Bass

When you need to slow play smallies, you can't beat an X-Rap

The excitement of fishing is so often in the fight – when you're white-knuckling your reel, so close to getting a prize catch in your boat you can taste it. But sometimes, you can't get this feverish action without playing the slow game, especially for curious smallmouth bass in cold water.

According to Jeremy Smith, Al Lindner, and Jake Wallace, the magic of smallmouth bass is just that: the slower you go, the more curious they get. And that's exactly how you want 'em.

Spring and fall is prime time for targeting smallmouth bass, and this trio didn't plan on missing one second of it. With the mantra "slow and steady" as you go, the three anglers spent a day trolling and casting for smallmouth bass in cold water. And they had their tackle boxes full of X-Rap® Series lures to seal the deal.

After settling in and letting the bass explore the X-Rap as it jolts through the water and then finds a steady pause, it didn't take long at all before smallmouth bass to absolutely start inhaling the lure. Wallace even caught a hog with the entirety of an X-Rap in its mouth.

"The X-Rap is hands-down my favorite fishing lure that I've ever used," said Smith, whose go-to size is a No. 10 for the spring and fall bite. That being said, he noted that smallmouths are suckers for downsizing baits, so, if bass aren't hounding a size 10, switch it out for a size 8 or even 6 to change their tune instantly.

Wallace noted that the key to his set-up was tying on Sufix® 832 Advanced Superline® 10lb. hi-vis yellow braid. The high visibility means you can witness the exact moment when a smallie strikes your lure. The primary setup is to tip this line with a premium fluorocarbon leader.