His tactic is to cast, reel … This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Guns. While their bigger-mouthed brethren head shallow and cozy up to banks, docks and walls with warming waters in preparation for the spawn, smallmouths prefer to stay deep, often in 5 to 15 feet of water. As with twitchbaits, sometimes long pauses trigger strikes. During the winter, reservoir smallmouth tend to gather on channel swings and in the middle of deep guts at depths of 25 to 30 feet. However, savvy smallmouth anglers know these voracious eaters will attack anything, even if it is more than a mouthful.

In the warmer months, many big smallmouth will only come shallow to feed in low-light conditions, especially the early morning. By Joe Cermele. Early spring in Pennsylvania is at a completely different time period than early spring in Georgia. By August the fish have moved to the deepest structure (25 to 35 feet) before moving back to the shallows again in the fall.Good electronics with mapping are crucial for finding the isolated rock piles, expansive flats, rocky points, reefs and shoals that smallmouth favor on the big waters. March 14, 2017. Many anglers believe the bigger smallmouths spawn first and do so in water deeper than where small bass spawn.At this point, the fish are the easiest — and for some, the most fun — to catch. Jigs also work well for spring smallmouth in rivers and streams, where hair jigs often get the nod.

The action can shut down just as fast, when water and air temperatures drop with passing cold fronts.As waters rise,but before they roil into the color of Nestle’s Quik, live bait can work wonders on especially finicky fish. The bass are active, realizing rain and/or rising water is uncovering and introducing all kinds of bite-sized critters into the water, which may rise a tick or two in temperature to boot. The ultra-slow presentation can tempt or provoke otherwise reluctant bass into biting.Some serious early season smallmouth anglers pack bait hooks and a few split shot just for such instances. Other big baits for taking heavyweight smallies include 5/8-ounce buzz baits, 1/2-ounce jigs tipped with bulky plastic chunks or craws, 5 1/2-inch suspending stickbaits, deep-diving crankbaits and Zara Spooks. In clear water, consider translucent tails in lighter hues in smoke or watermelon. When rising water conditions are right, and air temps are inching up at the same time, crankbaits and surface lures will wreak havoc on smallmouths suddenly hit with the urge to feed after a long, lethargic winter.But anglers need to be ready and be on the water when the river conditions peak. 5. Begin looking for them when the water temperature is in the mid-40s. Casting a hair jig next to such lairs, allowing it to sink and letting the water move the delicate hairs and flutter the rubber tails, can draw strikes. Vertical jigging with 3/4-ounce slab spoons or bumping tube baits or finesse jigs along the bottom are effective tactics for catching wintertime smallies.After the spawn, reservoir smallmouth move into the 8- to 10-foot range along pea gravel points where they can be takin on the Mojo rig or small crankbaits. Be the first to rate this post. Latest. Related Posts. The fish will scatter along the gravel banks of the creeks and on the main lake so try fast-moving lures such as spinnerbaits in white or chartreuse or medium-diving crankbaits in crawfish, fire tiger or bluegill colors. It's easier than you think — and will put more big bass in your boat.Dial in your wingshooting this summer by practicing the three shots you'll see most this fall.30 awards presented (virtually) from the New Product Showcase.From jigs to swimbaits, there are lots of great new choices unveiled at virtual fishing trade...As bass retreat from summer's warm weather it's time for 'football season. Many bodies of waters contain large smallmouth populations, but certain fisheries tend to produce more and bigger smallmouth bass than others.Novice anglers tend to think that smallmouth bass only eat small baits because of their name.

You can find smallmouth bass in waterways either above or below the Mason-Dixon Line.

One of the most fun ways to catch topwater smallmouth is on a Any soft plastic bait that imitates gobies is deadly for smallmouth on the northern lakes infested with the invasive species. Fishing. Even smallmouth on streams with gin-clear water can be taken consistently on larger lures with standard casting gear.Some of the most productive lures for stream smallmouth fishing are 1/4-ounce Smallmouth on the big waters of natural lakes and man-made reservoirs will also hit spinnerbaits as large as 3/4- or 1-ounce models with number 5 willowleaf blades.