Crushing April Smallmouth on the Columbia River

Spring in the Pacific Northwest is a fisherman’s paradise. The Columbia River’s Spring Chinook are running, walleye are biting, and big pre-spawn smallmouth bass are on the hunt. Of all the options, my favorite is the crankbait bite for hefty smallmouth. Yesterday, I launched my Hobie Kayak on the Columbia under clear skies and 65°F air temps, and it was a day to remember. My first fish? A 20-inch, 5-pound-plus bronzeback that crushed my crankbait and kicked off an epic adventure.

Crushing April Smallmouth on the Columbia River

Why the Columbia Shines in April

The Columbia River in April is a smallmouth angler’s dream. The fish are in pre-spawn mode, gorging on forage and holding in typical pre-spawn areas. I focused on these pre-spawn areas, casting to 6-12 feet where the bass were staged. The Columbia’s clear water and rocky structure make crankbaits a perfect choice this time of year

Searching for Fish

I launched my Hobie Kayak and started fan-casting a Rattle Trap and ChatterBait to cover water and locate fish. No bites. I worked a Ned Rig in some prime looking areas, but still no luck. Next, I paddled to a massive point stretching into the river that looked like the perfect pre-spawn location.

Norman Deep Tiny N and Rapala OG Deep Tiny 7 produced!

The Norman Breakthrough

I tied on an old-school Norman Deep Tiny N Tournament Series (DTNTS) crankbait, a favorite from my days as a Norman Lures sales rep. Rick Clunn’s secret weapon dives 6 feet with a tight wobble smallmouth can’t resist. First cast? Bam! A 20-inch, 5-pound-plus smallmouth slammed it, bending my rod with a fierce fight. What a way to start the season! I stuck with the Norman DTBTS and landed a few more solid fish, plus a couple on a ChatterBait Jackhammer Series slow-rolled near the bottom.

My first Smallmouth of the year was a stud!

Going Deeper with Rapala

Even though I was catching good fish, I sensed that I was missing fish that may be holding deeper. I switched to a Rapala Ott’s Garage (OG) Deep Tiny 07 in shad color, which dives a foot deeper that the Norman. First cast, another tank inhaled it. These smallmouth were ferocious—check out the photo of one with the crankbait halfway down its throat! The Rapala kept producing, with chunky smallmouth hammering it at places where I did not get bites before.

This one inhaled the Rapala OG Deep Tiny 7

A Fish Print and a Taco to Remember

The Rapala OG Deep Tiny 07 was unstoppable, with big, chunky smallmouth smashing it at every rocky point. One beast—another 3 to 4-pounder—inhaled the lure so deep I couldn’t free it. I don’t usually keep smallmouth, but this fish wasn’t going to survive, so I bagged it for a gyotaku-style fish print, using ink and rice paper to immortalize the catch, and a fish taco with a cold beer back home.

My Gyotaka Fish Print of a Columbia River Smallmouth Bass

Lessons from the River

Yesterday’s trip taught me to stay adaptable. When the Norman DTNTS wasn’t diving quite deep enough, the Rapala OG Deep Tiny 07 in shad color saved the day. My tips? Pack crankbaits for different depths, use a 10-pound leader with 20-pound braid for big smallmouth, target pre-spawn areas and carry a ruler or scale—I guessed at my big fish’s size, but I’ll measure next time! This Columbia River adventure was the perfect way to kick off the season. Those smallmouth were on fire, and I’m pumped for the rest of spring. If you’re craving April smallmouth action, grab your crankbaits and hit the Columbia.