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