By Joe Cermele

Sunday afternoon I got a call from my friend Dieter Scheel, who is a local Delaware River guide stationed in Lambertville, NJ. "The smallmouth bite is on fire," he said. "Want to come out this afternoon?" Of course I did, so I quickly pulled together boxes of poppers, stickbaits, Senkos, tubes, streamers, bunny flies...you name it. I was going armed to the teeth. When I get to the boat, Dieter says, "Just leave all that stuff in the car. It won't do you any good."

Come to find out, the bite is hot because all the shad and herring fry are making their way down river. When that happens, good luck getting a smallie to look at anything but live bait. Dieter rigged three rods with shiners and no weight, cast them out and we drifted. It didn't take long for the first shiner to start flipping on the surface and get crushed. "Feed line," Dieter yelled. "Don't just set the hook or you'll pull the bait away." This, I quickly figured out, was just like fishing big bunker for stripers, though on a much smaller scale.

Though initially bummed about leaving the artificials behind, this method took a touch and proved to be more exciting and difficult than I imagined. It also proves that a) it's worth hiring a guide, even on home water and b) it is impossible to stop learning when it comes to fishing. Had I gone out alone, it would have been poppers, jigs, and most likely the skunk.

Subsequently, I also caught my first "cow" striper of the fall (above) mixed in with those smallies. - JC

Comments (5)

from earlyriser81 wrote 2 years 33 weeks ago

I am going to have to try this when I go to West Virginia, however I will be bringing my artificials just in case.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Koldkut wrote 2 years 33 weeks ago

I bet you could have gotten some love from a #10 grey and white clouser minnow. Otherwise, that's a new technique on me.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from -Bob wrote 2 years 33 weeks ago

First of all...you're killing me. Here I am at work in Center City while you're out having fun on the Big D. Cruel and unusual, Joe.

Secondly -- I bumbled into that same smallmouth bite last year, totally by accident. Care to guess what did the trick? The Banjo Minnow. I can hear the snickering...but you can't laugh at eight smallmouths in ten casts.

How long does this last? Will I have a chance at Treasure Island this weekend? -Bob

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Joe_Cermele wrote 2 years 33 weeks ago

Bob, this was Sunday. I'm sitting in an office in center city NYC right now. I'm with you.

The bite should definitely last for another week or two, but water temp is dropping fast. The river is in awesome shape right now. Great level and crystal clear.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from -Bob wrote 2 years 33 weeks ago

In the words of a recent resident of The White House, "Ahh feel yore pain." Thanks for the update on the river, and for the "local flavor" of your articles. Hope I can get out there this weekend. -Bob

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

from earlyriser81 wrote 2 years 33 weeks ago

I am going to have to try this when I go to West Virginia, however I will be bringing my artificials just in case.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Koldkut wrote 2 years 33 weeks ago

I bet you could have gotten some love from a #10 grey and white clouser minnow. Otherwise, that's a new technique on me.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from -Bob wrote 2 years 33 weeks ago

First of all...you're killing me. Here I am at work in Center City while you're out having fun on the Big D. Cruel and unusual, Joe.

Secondly -- I bumbled into that same smallmouth bite last year, totally by accident. Care to guess what did the trick? The Banjo Minnow. I can hear the snickering...but you can't laugh at eight smallmouths in ten casts.

How long does this last? Will I have a chance at Treasure Island this weekend? -Bob

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Joe_Cermele wrote 2 years 33 weeks ago

Bob, this was Sunday. I'm sitting in an office in center city NYC right now. I'm with you.

The bite should definitely last for another week or two, but water temp is dropping fast. The river is in awesome shape right now. Great level and crystal clear.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from -Bob wrote 2 years 33 weeks ago

In the words of a recent resident of The White House, "Ahh feel yore pain." Thanks for the update on the river, and for the "local flavor" of your articles. Hope I can get out there this weekend. -Bob

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.