6 tips that will improve your Smallmouth bass fishing

1.Smallmouth Bass prefer cool, oxygen rich water. Therefore try streams and rivers with fast moving water. They can also be found behind brush or other debris and where rocks breach the surface, creating oxygen rich water.

 

2. While similar to largemouth bass, smallmouth prefer a different diet. They are best caught with spinners, rapalas, rebels and various jigs including the curly tail jig and the jig and pig. However, smallmouth bass diets differ slightly from region to region.

 

3. While smallmouth bass can be caught with many lures such as spinners and jigs, their favorite bait is the crayfish.

4. Smallmouth bass spawn in spring when the water temperature is between 60 and 65 degrees. Although the females move to the spawning grounds when the water temperature is between 48 and 54 degrees.

 

5. Smallmouth are sensitive to water temperature, preferring the 60-68 degree thermal layers. In summer, they are found as deep as 55 feet during the day and move to the shallows at night.

  • The best time to catch them is during the evening.

6. In winter and autumn, smallmouth bass keep to deeper water between 20 and 50 feet. During this time they feed on bait fish that are in these same deep waters. When at depths they are slower moving, especially in winter months.

 

catch crayfish for bait

Willapa Marine Crawfish Trap

Click here to buy a crayfish bait trap on amazon

 

 

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