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The Smallmouth....Probably the most sought after fish of the Bass species and the undoubtedly the toughest fighter of the three main bass species.
Smallmouth which are actually not truly a bass but are members of the Sunfish genus family can at time be difficult to find and more difficult to pattern.
In fact puzzle of patterning bass can be in the least more work than some can figure out but, if you follow these strategies you can find and follow the smallmouth through the seasons.
Top Smallmouth Bass Patterns:
1. Fishing Main Lake Humps
Throughout the south and midwest, smallmouth will move to main lake hump to spawn when the lake temperatures are at least 64 degrees, moving to these humps that can be as deep as 40-50 feet. From there they will hold and chase shad in preparation feeding fro the preparation of the upcoming spawn.
A 1/2 to 3/4 oz. brown with a small amount of orange hair jig is one of my favorite baits to lure them to bite as the hair jig produces more natural movement as the hair movement simulates a crawdad or shads gill movement. At this time of year , slow movements and alertness to the smallest indication of a strike are indicative. Many times you may not even feel a bite as you would in the summer months when they strike with much more ferocity. It may even feel as though you have a wet wash rag on the end of your line.
If you experience that feeling ...set the hook, ....seven out of ten times it will be a bass.
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2. Wind Patterns
This can and often is the best time to catch smallmouth along banks that range from shallow secondary points to bluff banks that have a quick transition from a shallow point nearby.
When the wind is beating against a bluff blank , it actually roils the water to a foot or more below the surface where it strikes the bank. This will bring the smallmouth up to sit just below the roiled water , and they will ambush baitfish and other creatures blown up against the bank and of course any small creatures such a crickets, etc. that may fall into the water from the wind.
The bait of choice at this time is a spinnerbait that closely resembles the local creatures which could be even shad, salamanders and lizards.
The thumping of a large bladed spinnerbait will attract the bass . Cast your lure as close as possible to your target and let it fall a foot or so before beginning your retrieve using a stop and go technique. At times a steady reelling with a sudden total stopping of the bait and letting it "die" with a quick pick up and restarting the retrieve will often bring in large numbers of smallmouth on windy banks.
And other times it simply take a steady slow retrieve to fool the fish.
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