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The Burnt River offers excellent stream fishing for smallmouth bass. As autumn approaches, river smallies stack up in deep, slow-moving river pools before winter sets in.
Reading River Pool Dynamics
River smallmouth congregate where current slows down:
- Deep River Pools (6–10 ft): Slow-moving basins located below river rapids.
- Undercut Rock Banks: Shaded overhangs along river bends.
- Log Jam Eddies: Debris piles that break the river’s main current flow.
[River Rapids / Fast Current] ===>
\ ---> [Deep River Pool (7-9ft)]
\___ [Smallmouth Staging Group]The Drift Tube & Ned Rig Method
Lures must present naturally along the river bottom without constantly snagging rocks.
The Setup
- Rod/Reel: 6’10” Medium-Light spinning rod.
- Line: 8 lb fluorocarbon or 10 lb braid with a 6 lb fluorocarbon leader.
- Lure: 2.5-inch Ned rig (Green Pumpkin) on a 1/10-oz mushroom head, or a 3-inch salt-and-pepper tube jig.
The Technique
- Cast Angle: Cast upstream at a 45-degree angle above the deep pool.
- Drift: Allow the current to carry the lure along the bottom into the pool naturally. Keep line slack to a minimum to feel subtle bites as the lure ticks over rocks.
Burnt River Target Zones to Map Out
Explore public access points north of Cameron Lake up toward Kinmount, focusing on deep river bends and pools below fast-water stretches.