In-line spinners are good, too. Weights around 1/2 ounce are a bit more popular. Bright flashy colors are common, but muted blues and grays are popular as well. Most anglers prefer fluorocarbon line for the reason stated above. But braid is also popular. Test weights of 65 pounds or more are easily handled on standard size casting reels and will often straighten a hook when it's snagged, saving the lure.

When the water turns muddy in January and February, it's best to fish for something besides smallmouth bass. No reliable source could be found who said he or she could catch very many of them in cold, muddy swift-running water.

Saugers and saugeyes are another matter, however. There are huge populations of these fish all along the West Virginia side of the river; they tend to congregate below the dams in late winter.

Most anglers will fish for them with jigs and minnows hung under a bobber. There's nothing fancy here. Find the biggest, brightest jig you can -- a 1-ounce, lime-green fluorescent model is perfect. Stick a minnow on the jig and suspend it a few inches above the bottom. After that, it's a matter of waiting for the bobber to disappear.

Regardless of which species you target, take along a couple of long rods. There's not much shoreline cover in the area. You'll need to make long casts out past the shallow water and into the current. The fishing is respectable down as far as Bull Creek, near mile marker 165.

There's a launch ramp at Calf Creek, near Waverly. Otherwise, follow the road signs for public access. Obey the Restricted Area signs.

BELLEVILLE DAM
This tailrace is similar to Willow Island in that it harbors good populations of smallmouths, saugers and saugeyes, with the occasional striper or hybrid thrown into the mix. That said, however, the fishing is very different, especially for the smallies.

There's a rock bank that extends for quite a distance that can produce great smallmouth bass action when conditions are right. "Right" means relatively clear water and warm, sunny weather. Those conditions will cause brown bass to become unusually active and hang around the rocks.

Fishing is usually best late in the day after the sun has had a chance to warm the rocks and they, in turn, have warmed some of the surrounding waters. That triggers a feeding response in the bass and will cause them to bite with abandon upon occasion. This tends to be off and on, however. If it's off, you're wasting your time.

Small, shallow-running hard jerkbaits are often effective under these conditions. Toss them out into the current and let them rest for a moment or two. Then twitch them a time or two and repeat the rest period. Do this as long as possible as the bait drifts along with the current. Sometimes banging your bait off the rocks will help.

If you can see smallies following the bait but not reacting to it, try a fast burst of speed just as the fish is drifting down, out of sight. Sometimes that will trigger a response from lethargic bass. If that doesn't work, try bouncing a natural-colored hair jig around the rocks.

Whenever possible, try to work your jerkbait into slack water behind larger rocks. This water warms faster than moving water and allows the smallies a chance to rest from the current, which can be wicked at times in this area.

Another great technique for coldwater Racine Pool smallies is to drift a jig under a bobber. This is much like crappie fishing. Tie a tiny jig to light fluorocarbon line and let it drift with the current under a small bobber. Don't impart any action to the jig. This is coldwater fishing. The current will provide all the action you need.