| Spring Smallmouths | | | | it tough fishing as bass can be found at |
| Smallmouth bass remain nearly dormant | | | | various depths. |
| until water temperatures approach | | | | In rivers, smallmouth feed more as the |
| 50° F. At this time, bass will start | | | | water cools in the fall. |
| to move to their spawning areas. In | | | | Late Fall & Winter |
| streams, bass may begin migrating to | | | | Smallmouth fishing becomes difficult |
| spawn at early temperatures. | | | | this time of year as they move out of |
| Fishing is difficult after spawning, | | | | shallows into deeper water. Sometimes |
| because bass aren't more concentrated. | | | | you can find densely packed schools, but |
| The females, after recuperating, move to | | | | the bite is likely to be poor. |
| deeper waters. Males move deeper after | | | | Smallmouth in streams may move to deeper |
| abandoning the fry. If there is deep | | | | pools for winter when their mid-fall |
| water near the spawning are, bass will | | | | locations are too shallow. Fishing |
| move there. | | | | remains good as they continue to feed |
| Summer | | | | until water temperatures drop in to the |
| Smallmouth bass areas are the most | | | | low 40's. |
| predictable this time of year. Bass may | | | | Tips to Catching Smallmouth |
| remain in the same place for several | | | | · Fishermen should fish using |
| months once they take up residence in a | | | | patterns that imitate key items in the |
| certain pool or around a particular | | | | diet of the smallmouth bus (crayfish, |
| structure. | | | | dragonflies, minnows, etc.) |
| Smallmouth bass love crayfish and | | | | · Shoreline structures, such as |
| crayfish are linked to specific | | | | docks, drop-offs, rocks, and logs, are |
| locations. Crayfish need rocks for | | | | worth fishing for smallmouth. |
| protection and cannot move very far. | | | | · Fly-fishing is advantageous in |
| Smallmouth must move around in waters | | | | areas where standard gear doesn't work. |
| where baitfish is the primary food. | | | | · Noise often attracts the |
| The depth that smallmouth bass retreat | | | | attention of bass. |
| to depends on surface temperatures and | | | | · Be patient - Let the bug sit |
| direct sunlight. The type of water also | | | | still for a period of as much 30 |
| determines how deep you'll find them. | | | | seconds, give it a twitch. If that isn't |
| Smallmouth may stay as deep as 25 feet | | | | working, try "popping" it with a sharp |
| in clear water, shallower than 12 feet | | | | jerk or an erratic stop-and-go retrieve. |
| in murky lakes due to oxygen levels, and | | | | For streamers and other sub-surface |
| in pools less than four feet in small | | | | flies, you should use the strip and |
| streams. | | | | stop, or a steady retrieve. |
| Early Fall to Mid-Fall Smallmouth Bas | | | | · Catching bass in still waters |
| Smallmouth begin to spend more time to | | | | generally requires watching and waiting |
| shallower waters. The lower angle of the | | | | for surface action, then getting the fly |
| sun and cooler surface temperatures | | | | into feeding frenzies in a hurry. |
| allow them to venture into shallower | | | | · Experiment to see what works |
| areas where food is more plentiful. | | | | best. |
| As the lake surface continues to cool, | | | | The greatest success is found by |
| it eventually reaches the same | | | | following the seasonal behavior of bass, |
| temperature as the water below the | | | | replicating their feeding preference, |
| thermo cline. The temperature from top | | | | and finding good structure. |
| to bottom becomes the same. This makes | | | | |