The Lower Kern has been flowing in the 6000 to 6500 CFM range lately and looks like it will stay this way thru July. 3000 CFM is about normal. I'm getting a few micro-Smalleys (<8") in the slack water areas but don't seem to be getting much of the quality I know is there. The quality I'm speaking of has followed spinnerbaits right to the shore before either disappearing in a spray of water at seeing me, or taking a swipe that doesn't hook up then disappearing in a spray. I've seen fish that would top 20" on 2 out of 7 trips and the remainder have shown 13" smalleys atleast.
Anything that can easily snag will as I'm finding the fish tight to brush, grass and other snaggy current breaks. I've tried T-rigged plastics and they seem to get lost in the grass. Drop-shot seems to produce more bites, but again I'm not sticking them.
Any suggestions?
Tight lines,
Wade

trailer hooks

Heavy wieght dropshotting, I like DSing Senkos for smallies in the rivers. Speedtraps work well and they will usally pull free, or try a timber tiger as they hang up less.

Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what have-yous

I'll give that a try. Maybe gonig bigger is the answer on the DS. I've been throwing RoboSculpins and they get bit right behind the hook. Thanks for the suggestion.
Tight lines,
Wade

Gottem! They haven't helped so far on the big guys. Most of the Micro's have been hooked on them. Last night I watched one hit at the shoreline and he actually inhaled the spinner blade, without touching the skirt. So maybe I need to figrue a way to put a hook there without messing up the action. I tried inline spinners and donated 2 before hooking up on a 9"r. Thanks for the suggestion.
Tight lines,
Wade

This is Pete (Big Hammer or Leapin' Bass) not Brian #2 (he keeps using my computer!). Anyways...

Try a buzzbait or even better a Buzz Hammer (www.swimbait.com/buzz). There is a river I fish once a year back East that is loaded with small smallmouth (8 - 10 inches) but also has some big ones (I've caught them up to 20 inches). The big ones are pretty rare according to the locals but I catch them pretty consistently with the Buzz Hammer. Pretty cool for only fishing there once a year.

Also, don't be afraid to fish the running water. I used to just concentrate on the slower moving "bassy" looking areas of the river but I have learned in recent years that fishing some of the fast water areas can produce some nice fish.

Pete,
What water level do you normally do well with the buzzer. I've thrown a buzzer out here a few times but they don't seem interested in it (0 hits so far). I've caught smalley's on buzzers at "normal" flow in other rivers.
Tight lines,
Wade

In the river I fish the best spots are shallow spots near deep areas or relatively shallow fast moving areas.

I'm not familiar with where you are fishing so who knows. I was just making a suggestion based on my experience.

This may sound like a plug/spam but ever since I got rid of the skirted buzzbait and started fishing the Buzz Hammer (or standard buzzbait with a small swimbait instead of the skirt) my strike ratio, hookups, and overall size of the fish I have been catching at that river has gone up. I believe the fish are much more attracted to something that looks like a little bait fish instead of a fluffy skirt thingy.

That's pretty much mirrors my condition/locational experiences with the buzzer-caught Smalleys. The swimbait versus skirt is something I'll try both for Smalleys and Largies. It wasn't taken as spam by me.
So far I haven't been able to get them to come to the surface on this river for anything except 1 13"r that took a Stimulator fly during a short lived Golden Stonefly "hatch" at dusk. I say "hatch" because I'm not sure what it's called when they comeback to lay eggs and die. Flyfishing is kind of my new toy. Lots of fun because it's so challenging, but I throw the conventional gear when I get frustrated.
Tight lines,
Wade