If you've never had the pleasure of catching smallmouth bass is moving water, you need to give it a try. Smallmouth bass can be found in rivers and streams just like trout, and can be fished for in almost the same manner. Smallmouth bass are widely regarded as one of the hardest fighting fish, pound for pound, that swims in North American fresh water. When you add flowing water into the equation, it equals a very good time.

When fishing for smallmouth bass in moving water, an angler can use the same fishing gear that he/she employs for trout fishing. The same techniques can be employed as well. The most effective technique that I've ever come across is to fish live bait, rigged on a set of gang hooks. This technique is very effective for both smallmouth bass and trout. The constant in the equation is the moving water of a river or stream. This technique is also most effective while standing in the water fishing (wading).

The technique is to bounce a live worm, rigged on a set of gang hooks off of the bottom, as it flows downstream with the current. A set of gang hooks is simply 2 small hooks tied in tandem, and is the most natural and effective way to present a live worm. When a live worm is rigged in this manner it looks absolutely natural as it tumbles downstream. As a matter of fact the worm looks exactly as it would if there weren't any hooks in it. Don't you think this might work to your advantage?

The actual rig is set up like this: tie a barrel swivel onto your line, then a set of gang hooks onto the open end of the barrel swivel. Now split shot sinkers are added as needed to get the offering to the bottom. Start with two or three split shot and add more, one at a time, until the perfect amount for the current that you're fishing in is reached. The bottom line is that you want the offering to tumble along the bottom as it flows through the current. Too many split shot and you'll get snagged, too few and it will flow through the current without ever touching bottom. You'll feel the difference. With this technique, you will get snagged, sometimes a lot, but as my mentor used to tell me, "If you're not getting snagged, your not fishing in the right place". Getting snagged is part of the technique. Once the right number of split shot is reached for the current your in, getting snagged will happen less and less.

Catching smallmouth bass in moving water is a ton of fun. It's also a great way to get in shape or stay in shape for trout fishing. As you know the more fish you catch, the better angler you become. That means catching smallmouth will help get you ready for when you hook up with that trophy Rainbow.

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