Helgramites, Best Smallmouth Bass Bait Period!
If you love fishing river systems for smallmouth bass and you dont know what a helgramite is, I suggest you read on! Helgramites are by far the best all around, live smallmouth bass bait there is for catching smallmouth bass out of many river systems throughout the states.
First lets take a look at what a helgramite is and then I will touch base on catching them and fishing them effectively.
A helgramite is a prehistoric looking insect in an adolescent stage, in fact helgramites are immature Dobsonflies. They can be found in swift, free flowing water systems across the United States, normally under rocks and other bottom structure. Helgramites can also be found by flipping rocks along river banks, these are usually females and depending on your area picking them may be frowned upon. A helgramite when mature turns into a large dragon fly type insect.
Ok lets take a look at a helgramite;
As you can see hegramites look very intimidating and almost prehistoric, in fact I think one of the reason so many anglers dont use them is because of their appearance. Just keep in mind helgramites are the caviar of all live smallmouth bass baits, so if your looking for an edge get over your fear.
There are several ways to harvest helgramites, the easiest is simply flipping rocks along a river shoreline at low water. Sandy areas that contain large flat rocks are the best areas to find them, though they can also be found in just about any other area that contains cover.
Another productive way of harvesting helgramites is to wade for them. This method requires a buddy and a screen or net. In this process a buddy or yourself stands down river in swift moving water, that has a rocky bottom, holding a screen. The other person stands up river from the screen holder flipping rocks and kicking up gravel. Any helgramites kicked up will flow down river and be caught in the screen.
You can also buy helgramites by the dozen in many bait shops, though they are extremely expensive! The last time I checked one local bait shop was charging $12.00 per dozen, while another was charging about $10.00.
There are a few lure manufacturers that produce imitation helgramite, though they are NO WHERE as good as the real thing.
Other than being one of the most productive smallmouth bass baits they are also the longest lasting. It is not uncommon to catch 10 to 15 bass on one helgramite.
As for the best way to fish them, well you will have to play around a bit, try a few different presentations. May favorite is simply hooking a helgramite behind the collar, using very little weight and then driffting them through riffles and into holes and eddies. Another great presentation is using a slip rig tipped with a floating jig head, then slow rolling them through eddies, riffles, holes and pockets.
If you have not fished with helgramites yet, hopefully this article has persuaded you to try, if so your going to very surprised and even impressed with just how effective helgramites can be at catching smallmouth bass in river systems.
