Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 13

concentrated in current seams thereby
focusing on Smallmouth Bass feeding
activity. The best conditions in the fall
are 24 to 48 hours after a rise in the
river, just as the water is beginning to
clear but still has some stain to it. The
higher flow pushes the bait and the
bass into predictable shoreline eddies
and current breaks.
"When the water level is very
low, the current flow is reduced and
migrating young can spread out
almost anywhere. As a result, bass
are also scattered. Because bass are
not concentrated, you've got to fish
harder and smarter during low flows in order to catch them.
On sunny days during low flow periods, I target deep pools
and deep flats that have current. Shad young will also stack up
around mouths of tributary creeks when the water is low," said
Mengel.
"The absolute toughest bite occurs under bluebird skies
during very low water conditions. Under these conditions,
bass are likely to feed only at daybreak and just prior to
sunset. The mid-day timeframe is usually a waste of time,"
said Mengel.
Mengel went on to explain that grass beds and flat-layered
rock ledges (locally referred to as horseback rocks) always
hold some Smallmouth Bass regardless of the flow.
Mengel's fall arsenal typically includes a spinnerbait, jerkbait
and tube jig. During high flows, his choice is a 3/8- or ½-ounce
spinnerbait with a white or white/chartreuse skirt. In low
water, he drops to a ¼-ounce spinnerbait. "Cast the lure to
current cuts, let it sink, then slow roll the bait through the
current. When bass are feeding during high water, this is a big
fish lure. It's also effective on Walleyes," said Mengel.
In choosing a jerkbait, Mengel wants one that is close
to the size of the baitfish. He drops down to as small as a
2½-inch minnow bait and never goes longer than 4 inches. In

Dave Lehman and Blaine Mengel compare baits for finicky
Delaware River Smallmouth Bass.
PFBC website: www.fishandboat.com

Reflective shot of the Riverton-Belvidere Toll Supported Bridge
on the middle Delaware River during the fall.

the early fall, he targets areas that are below riffles leading into
deeper pools. As the water cools, he works a jerkbait around
boulders within the pools.
"In clear water, jerkbaits usually catch the bigger bass. I
prefer to match the natural hues of the river preyfish by using
jerkbait colors like Pro-Blue, Tennessee Shad and anything that
resembles shiners. But under stained water conditions, I go with
bolder colors with orange bellies. Smallmouth Bass respond to
gold jerkbaits in both clear and stained water. However, if the
water is too dirty, don't even tie a jerkbait on," said Mengel.
For numbers of river Smallmouth Bass in the fall, the best
lure is a tube jig according to Mengel. He upgrades to a ¼-ounce
head for deeper water and stronger current; otherwise he sticks
with a ⅛ or 3/16-ounce insert tube head. As with jerkbaits, under
clear water, he chooses tube colors that represent natural baitfish
hues including smoke and watermelon. When the water is
stained, the darker crayfish colors and black get the nod.
"In recent years, I've discovered that downsizing tubes
from the standard 4-inch length to 3-inch thin wall tubes
dramatically improves the number of bass caught," said Mengel.
Jerkbaits and spinnerbaits generate reaction strikes. However,
when fishing slowly with soft plastic baits, matching the size of
preyfish becomes a high priority. Four inches is simply too big
for shad and herring young.
"The average size of Smallmouth Bass caught in the upper
and middle Delaware River in the fall is in the 14-inch range.
If you hit the right flow conditions-high water but not over
the bank and slightly stained water but not muddy-you can
expect 15- to 18-inch bass. My personal best Delaware River
Smallmouth Bass was a 22¾-inch beauty," said Mengel.
If you are serious about fishing for Smallmouth Bass on the
Delaware River, Mengel recommends having a jet boat. "Sure,
there are a few places in the upper and middle Delaware River
where prop boats may be operated safely, but to cover the entire
river effectively, jets are the way to go. I always avoid Skinner's
Falls and Foul Rift. However, I fish right to the top of Foul Rift
on the upstream side and run up as far as safely possible into
the Rift area from the downstream side. It is necessary to have
a powerful trolling motor on your boat when fishing the faster
water sections. And, always wear a life jacket," said Mengel.
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * September/October 2014

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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014

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