Smallmouth are voracious eaters McSwain uses many different lures and has success with most. Mepps Aglia spinners, and the Black Fury, also from Mepps, are tough to beat. “Both of these lures are great. They give off different vibrations than each other, and they run at different depths,” said McSwain, who operates Broad River Smallmouth Guide Service. “So when the Aglia isn’t producing, switching to the Black Fury can get them biting, and vice versa. But often, they both work equally well.” McSwain (843-763-3805) said those lures are best fished when cast upriver at a 45-degree angle. Anglers should retrieve them quickly enough that they don’t lose contact with the lure due to the current. Casting directly upriver is not advisable. The current will carry the lure downstream quicker than the angler can reel. This makes it difficult to detect bites.