Big Baits do catch bigger smallies. Now, of course, this is not always true, but most of the time it is. I cannot tell you the number of anglers who have come to me wanting to catch bigger smallies. I always tell them to throw bigger baits/flies. They give it a try and relate back to me that it worked Guys will tell me that their stream does not have any larger smallies than about 12 inches. Most of the time, that is not the case, but the angler only throws baits that attract mostly juvenile fish. A good case in point was a few years ago I guided a fly angler looking for his first Pike on the fly. I knew a few spots where pike like to hang out. Of course, I had him throwing flies that were perfect size for pike, but very large for smallies. As you probably would guess, he caught some very nice smallies on the big pike flies.
Another example of this is when I talk to muskie anglers who tell me the giant smallies they catch accidently while chucking huge plugs.
Here are a few pics from the day I guided Dustin for pike:
By the way, Dustin did get two pike that day. He is a marine and was leaving for duty overseas in just a few days after catching these fish.