Regarded by many as inch for inch and pound for pound the gamest fish that swims, from the oft quoted line from Dr. James Henshall's 1881 classic "Book of the Black Bass," the smallmouth bass can be delightfully aggressive but also frustratingly finicky.

Late summer, when the fish has an abundance of forage choices, is a time when the fish displays a wide range of temperaments.

By late summer, the smallmouth bass's feeding choices, especially in our area's food-rich flowing waters, approaches the selection of a cruise ship's midnight buffet. Baitfish populations are still strong. The young-of-the-year of certain minnow species has reached the size attractive as food fish for brown bass. Crayfish, a well known smallmouth delicacy, are in good supply. Hellgrammites and other aquatic larva are additional menu choices. So an angler's bait has a lot to compete with.

Still, in the warm water of late summer a bass's metabolism is high. Now is when they grown. They feed often and feed well. So we have that going for us.

When I'm chasing river smallmouth bass, which I do as frequently as possible, a rather extensive assortment of rods and reels (actually about a half-dozen) accompany me. Boat partners sometimes question my need for such an array of tackle, and there are times when I somewhat agree, like when I'm trying to keep the tangled mess from being just that. But more often than not, having a variety of rods rigged with different offerings allows me to match the mood of the fish as well as the conditions of the river.

Two rods are rigged with presentations some river and stream smallmouth anglers may overlook, the soft plastic stickbait and the skirted bass jig.

The soft plastic stickbait has been around a few years. Yamamoto's Senko was likely the first bait of this type; today there are an abundance of similar baits, the Yum Dinger being one. They gained popularity mostly on lakes, when fishing for bedding bass in the spring. But flowing water smallmouth bass have a strong affinity to them as well.

Held in an angler's hand soft stickbaits aren't terribly appealing. They are somewhat squat, understated plastic worms. No action tail. No thin profile that produces an undulating underwater action. But soft stickbaits are loaded with salt, and as such they slowly sink. A twitch of the rod tip will send them darting erratically.

Soft stickbaits fare well during those days (or times within a day) when other offerings tend to be turned down. When bass chase a lure to the boat, but won't eat it. During such times I like to cast a soft stickbait to visible targets: To the edge of a rock, the end of a log, a shallow ledge that drops into deeper water. In these situations often a bass will strike the lure just after it lands, as it makes its initial fall.

For river and creek smallmouth bass, I like to fish a four-inch bait on a 1/0 Gamakatsu offset worm hook. The bait can be rigged Texas-style weedless; wacky rigging, where the lure is hooked at its midway point, is another popular rigging that presents a different look to the fish. Placing an o-ring at the midpoint of the stickbait, and attaching the hook under the o-ring (rather than hooking directly to the worm) will extend the life of the bait. A special tool is available for sliding the o-ring on the bait.

Small skirted jigs, miniature versions of the popular flipping jigs largemouth bass anglers use on lakes, are also a top smallmouth fare, though few anglers fish them. Booyah's Baby Boo jig in three-sixteenth ounce is a perfect size for smallies. Dress such a jig with a Yum Craw Bug or similar small crayfish type trailer, and you have bait that well represents one of the smallmouth's favorite meals. Tube jigs also do a good job of triggering smallmouths when they are feeding on craws, but I've seen times when they would ignore a tube but jump on a skirted jig.

Strike King's Bitsy Jig is another fine skirted jig that's ideal size for smallmouth bass.