The upper Spokane is known for its good-sized trout, but it also is home to some feisty smallmouth in the 1-2 pound class.

Harvard Road, middle of the bloody day, 95 degrees - I spent three hours casting 3" curly-tailed leadheads across and down with a faster-than-normal retrieve, and landed 6 fish of about 1-½ pounds. I found a faster retreive was better than slow against the current, at least on this day. Aggressive fish just can't help themselves! :-)

Only had a couple hit on the dead drift as the lure worked its way down to the swing. I did short-hook nearly as many other good fish. I fished about a half a mile of the river, down and back.

I used a green-blue translucent jig body and salt and pepper brown. Something green is always a good choice in bright light, and the brown body imitates a crawdad. I DO use scents. Soft-shell crawdad as a matter of fact. Been one of my favorites for years. Everybody in the water eats them!

So they're in there, in the pools and behind the riffles. 6# test, and a barbless hook - it was fun!

---