For imitating some of those minnows, get ahold of a variety of streamers and experiment, until you find one that they key in on. Zonkers, muddler minnows, black ghosts, black nosed dace, mickey finns, whatever. Vary your presentation, play around.

A stream is a stream, and current is current. I imagine smallies try to stay out of the heavy current to conserve energy just like trout. Maybe the high water you're talking about has made them change position in the stream.

Check out the warm water forum also. Maybe someone over there has talked about this very thing in the past.