Lures for Carnivorous Smallmouth Bass

Gear

Mar 23

Pete Robbins holding a Traverse City Michigan smallmouth bass

Do smallmouth bass eat their young?

Steve Kennedy believes they do. During the 2025 Elite Series northern swing he had a big one cough up a little one – so while his signature G-Ratt glide bait currently comes in a “Baby Bass” (largemouth) pattern, not a smallmouth imitator – you can bet he’ll paint some up himself before the tour heads to Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River.

Lures painted to replicate a smallmouth may also attract other predators, like largemouths and pike – and as anyone who’s ever had a hooked St. Clair smallmouth attacked mid-fight, muskies, too.

If you believe you need some smallmouth imitators on your boat, check out the following JDM options that’ll cover you from top to bottom, in various sizes.

Smallmouth Megabass Vision 110 Jerkbait — **Megabass Ito Vision 110 Jerkbait**

Evergreen Flat Force smallmouth crankbait — **Evergreen Flat Force 4 Crankbait**

Deps Slide Swimmer 250 Glide Bait smallmouth — **Deps Slide Swimmer 250 Glide Bait**

Lucky Craft lipless crankbait painted to look like a smallmouth — **Lucky Craft LV 500 Lipless Crankbait**

Megabass twitch bait Karashi smallmouth — **Megabass Karashi Twitch Bait**

Lucky Craft Pointer Minnow Jerkbait 100mm smallmouth — **Lucky Craft Pointer Minnow 100mm Jerkbait**

We plan to explore the north country this summer and hope to find a place (or several places) worthy of hosting future trips. If you’d like to join us, send us an email and we’ll make sure you’re packed correctly.