The Smallmouth Bass Fishing is actually very good on the Rainy River, however, most anglers do not come here to fish for them. With Rainy Lake and it’s awesome smallmouth bass nearby and the unbelievable walleye fishing on the Rainy River, smallmouth bass usually get overlooked on the river. Most anglers that do target them will end up catching good numbers of them with lots of smallmouth bass in the 2 to 3 pound range and some bigger fish in in the 4 to 5 pound range. Because the Rainy River is International waters, you can fish for smallmouth bass year-round on the Rainy River, however, the peak bite usually occurs during the spring and fall.
Fish the Mouths
There are many smaller rivers that feed into the Rainy River as well as smaller fingers that are just off the Rainy River. You can often find some current and a variety of fish feeding in these areas. Find some current and some rocks and you’ll most likely find some smallmouth bass too.
Clementson Bay, where the Rapid River flows into Rainy River, is a popular smallmouth bass spot, especially in the spring and the fall.
Fish the Current Breaks
Smallmouth bass do well in the current, but they don’t want to swim in the current all day long. Fish the current breaks and you’ll most likely catch a lot more smallmouth bass than by just fishing the slack water or just fishing the currents. Smallmouth bass will often be just on the break line or behind a large boulder that forms a current break behind it.
Fish the Rocks & Boulders
Smallmouth bass love rocks and it is no different on the Rainy River. The best spots will usually have plenty of rocks and boulders around. In deeper water, the rocks and boulders form nice current breaks behind them, but you will need your electronics to find these spots. In shallower water, it is a lot easier to find these spots. You can usually do so by fan casting a jighead and your favorite soft plastic bait.
Best Baits for Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass will eat a variety of different baits. Minnows, nightcrawlers and leeches are definitely the best live baits for smallmouth bass.
When it comes to artificial lures, you have lots of options. Soft plastic crayfish, twin tail grubs, worms and minnow baits are very effective. Hard baits such as crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinners also work great.
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Live Baits for Smallmouth Bass
Best Rigs for Smallmouth Bass
With so many different soft plastics to use, you have so many different rigs that work great for smallmouth bass. The drop shot rig, a simple jighead, standup jigheads and scrounger jigheads are some of the best rigs for smallmouth bass. To see our full list, take a look at our best rigs for smallmouth bass page.
Best Techniques for Smallmouth Bass
There are so many different techniques you can use for smallmouth bass since they can be found shallow, deep and anywhere in between. Anglers usually cast for them, but jigging, drop shotting and drifting are also some great techniques for smallmouth bass.
To learn more, take a look at our best techniques for smallmouth bass page.
Learn More About Smallmouth Bass
Our smallmouth bass fishing section has tons of tips on the best lures, live baits, where to catch them and how to catch them.
Visit our smallmouth bass fishing website to learn more.
