Brian E. Mullaney
02-08-2005, 12:05 PM
Here is some basic stuff I wrote when I fished 200 plus days a year for them in NH
Good Smallmouth spots can be found around downed trees in water, rocky islands, large boulders or other obstructions in rivers, rocky points, under docks with rocky or weedy bottom. I like to start shallow and work my way deeper until I find where the smallies are holding.
You don't need to break the bank to purchase a good smallmouth setup. A 6ft. or 6ft. 6" medium action spinning rod with a reel that balances with the rod and some 8lb. test is a good start. For less than $100 you can get yourself a nice setup which will last for years. I started out fishing for smallmouth with Berkley Lightning Rods and Quantum spinning reels and had much success using a beginners setup.
All the classic bass lures will catch you smallmouth - plastic worms, crankbaits, bass flies, spinners, etc. One of my favorites are spinnerbaits due to there versatility - you can troll them deep, cast them into weeds, buzz them on the surface. I recommend white and chartreuse in stained water, translucent colors in clear, and black for nighttime. Strike King makes some good spinnerbaits and last fall I caught many smallmouth and chain pickerel on a 1/4 oz white with silver sparkle spinnerbait. I can also recommend the Stanley Wedge for "slow rolling".
For cold water smallmouths the "Silver Buddy" is a highly recommended lure - Northern Bass Supply carries these. Tube baits are a highly effective lure for springtime bass.
If you don't have any Slug-O's from Lunker City I recommend you get some! I've caught many nice fish on the 4.5'" rainbow colored Slug-O as well as the Arkansas shiner and alewife colors. I like to rig them "texposed" with Gamakatsu wide gap offset hooks on 8lb. low stretch line.
Don't forget to get yourself some polarized glasses if you are going to be fishing clear water. Believe me, having a pair of polarized glasses really helps. They don't need to be $100 dollar glasses. Wal-Mart carries polarized glasses that run around $15 and the increase in visibility will foster more hookups.
Early Spring - ice-out to the mid 40's
Right after ice-out is a great time to catch a lunker (5lbs. +) as the bass are beginning to actively feed after the long cold winter. During this cold-water period I recommend throwing a blade-bait like the Silver Buddy or a spider-jig in 20-30 ft. of water next to mid-lake humps. Another great lure this time of year is a hair jig. The smallies will most likely be parked deep at the base of the humps. If you don't find them here try scanning open water for schools of baitfish.
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Pre-Spawn - mid 40's to mid 50's
As the water warms to the mid 40's, smallmouth will begin there move from their winter homes towards the shallows. They are there to warm themselves, search for baitfish and other food sources, and to check out possible spawning areas. During this time a shallow running crankbait like the Bomber Long-A can be deadly.
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Spawn
Time to let the bass do their thing! The males on the beds are highly vulnerable and should be left alone. If you are going to fish for them, use a barbless hook and immediately release them in close vicinity to their bed.
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Post-Spawn
This time of year can be real tough. The females will be holding in deeper water adjacent to their spawning beds. Many anglers will tell you they will not bite but I've caught them using a "dead-stick" presentation (cast out a soft plastic jerk-bait like Lunker City's Slug-O and let it fall and rest on the bottom for at least a full minute before imparting small jerks of the rod tip).
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Summer
Best advice - fish early and late. After the water has climbed to the low 70's you can expect the smallmouth to have recovered fully from the spawn and to start feeding aggressively again. During the early-morning or evening it's a great time to throw on your favorite top-water lure. As the sun begins to rise higher in the sky the bass will move in closer to cover. Try skipping a soft jerk-bait under docks and along weed edges with drop-offs close by. During this time of the year the bass may be in anywhere from 2-30 plus feet of water so make sure you cover from the shallows to the deep. Boat traffic and tourism is at a peak, so as I said before, fish early and late!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Early Fall
During this time period the bass will begin their annual fall feast. They will vacate their summer haunts and start schooling up in order to chase baitfish. This is a perfect time to throw a double-willow bladed spinnerbait. The spinnerbait allows you to cover a lot of water in a short period of time. Once you hook into one you can expect others to be close by. Start shallow and work your way deeper until you find a school.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Late Fall - water below 50
Many anglers make the mistake of winterizing their boats too early. As the water drops into the 40's the bass will become more sluggish but they still will react to the right lure and presentation. Spider-jigs and Silver Buddy's are 2 baits that will get the fish to bite once you can locate them. The key is to slow down your presentation and use a sensitive rod and light low stretch line as the bite may be very subtle.
Good Smallmouth spots can be found around downed trees in water, rocky islands, large boulders or other obstructions in rivers, rocky points, under docks with rocky or weedy bottom. I like to start shallow and work my way deeper until I find where the smallies are holding.
You don't need to break the bank to purchase a good smallmouth setup. A 6ft. or 6ft. 6" medium action spinning rod with a reel that balances with the rod and some 8lb. test is a good start. For less than $100 you can get yourself a nice setup which will last for years. I started out fishing for smallmouth with Berkley Lightning Rods and Quantum spinning reels and had much success using a beginners setup.
All the classic bass lures will catch you smallmouth - plastic worms, crankbaits, bass flies, spinners, etc. One of my favorites are spinnerbaits due to there versatility - you can troll them deep, cast them into weeds, buzz them on the surface. I recommend white and chartreuse in stained water, translucent colors in clear, and black for nighttime. Strike King makes some good spinnerbaits and last fall I caught many smallmouth and chain pickerel on a 1/4 oz white with silver sparkle spinnerbait. I can also recommend the Stanley Wedge for "slow rolling".
For cold water smallmouths the "Silver Buddy" is a highly recommended lure - Northern Bass Supply carries these. Tube baits are a highly effective lure for springtime bass.
If you don't have any Slug-O's from Lunker City I recommend you get some! I've caught many nice fish on the 4.5'" rainbow colored Slug-O as well as the Arkansas shiner and alewife colors. I like to rig them "texposed" with Gamakatsu wide gap offset hooks on 8lb. low stretch line.
Don't forget to get yourself some polarized glasses if you are going to be fishing clear water. Believe me, having a pair of polarized glasses really helps. They don't need to be $100 dollar glasses. Wal-Mart carries polarized glasses that run around $15 and the increase in visibility will foster more hookups.
Early Spring - ice-out to the mid 40's
Right after ice-out is a great time to catch a lunker (5lbs. +) as the bass are beginning to actively feed after the long cold winter. During this cold-water period I recommend throwing a blade-bait like the Silver Buddy or a spider-jig in 20-30 ft. of water next to mid-lake humps. Another great lure this time of year is a hair jig. The smallies will most likely be parked deep at the base of the humps. If you don't find them here try scanning open water for schools of baitfish.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Spawn - mid 40's to mid 50's
As the water warms to the mid 40's, smallmouth will begin there move from their winter homes towards the shallows. They are there to warm themselves, search for baitfish and other food sources, and to check out possible spawning areas. During this time a shallow running crankbait like the Bomber Long-A can be deadly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spawn
Time to let the bass do their thing! The males on the beds are highly vulnerable and should be left alone. If you are going to fish for them, use a barbless hook and immediately release them in close vicinity to their bed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post-Spawn
This time of year can be real tough. The females will be holding in deeper water adjacent to their spawning beds. Many anglers will tell you they will not bite but I've caught them using a "dead-stick" presentation (cast out a soft plastic jerk-bait like Lunker City's Slug-O and let it fall and rest on the bottom for at least a full minute before imparting small jerks of the rod tip).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summer
Best advice - fish early and late. After the water has climbed to the low 70's you can expect the smallmouth to have recovered fully from the spawn and to start feeding aggressively again. During the early-morning or evening it's a great time to throw on your favorite top-water lure. As the sun begins to rise higher in the sky the bass will move in closer to cover. Try skipping a soft jerk-bait under docks and along weed edges with drop-offs close by. During this time of the year the bass may be in anywhere from 2-30 plus feet of water so make sure you cover from the shallows to the deep. Boat traffic and tourism is at a peak, so as I said before, fish early and late!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Early Fall
During this time period the bass will begin their annual fall feast. They will vacate their summer haunts and start schooling up in order to chase baitfish. This is a perfect time to throw a double-willow bladed spinnerbait. The spinnerbait allows you to cover a lot of water in a short period of time. Once you hook into one you can expect others to be close by. Start shallow and work your way deeper until you find a school.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Late Fall - water below 50
Many anglers make the mistake of winterizing their boats too early. As the water drops into the 40's the bass will become more sluggish but they still will react to the right lure and presentation. Spider-jigs and Silver Buddy's are 2 baits that will get the fish to bite once you can locate them. The key is to slow down your presentation and use a sensitive rod and light low stretch line as the bite may be very subtle.