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Smallmouth bass thrive in many rivers thanks to the natural abundance of structure and varying depths. Check with Game and Fish or Natural Resources departments for information on nearby rivers that may be home to smallmouth.
Locating those areas of significant structure and food will eventually result in the location of hungry smallmouth bass. In springtime, when water temperatures are between 45 and 55 degrees, smallmouth move into the shallows to prepare for spawning. In late April and into May bass can often be a whole month away from spawning. Therefore, the fish will be eating regularly to make up for a winter of near-dormancy and to prepare for the annual mating ritual. Since there is little time for them to be picky, expect vicious hits on any cast. This strike is often more dramatic because it comes in shallow water nesting areas as the fish begin to defend their territory. Furthermore, hookups in the shallows make for exciting battles, as the acrobatic smallmouth will readily take to the air in a dazzling array of leaps and flips in an attempt to shake the hook.
Start in shallows near deeper holes, such as the mouth of an inflowing feeder creek or rainwater discharge culvert. These areas are definite hotspots in spring due to the influx of warmer water and the introduction of detritus, insects and other small particles which baitfish feed on. Those baitfish and the warmer water, in turn, attract smallmouth.
Other spots with potential, especially as spring progresses, include the various areas around dams. Check riprap shorelines for smallmouth feeding on insects, crayfish, and minnows that may be hiding in the crevasses. Flooded or downed timber should not be overlooked either. The timber attracts insects and crayfish and also provides an ambush point for opportunistic smallmouth.
Finally, if structure is scarce, locate any object that may disrupt the flow of current. Old tires, overhanging trees, a solitary boulder, bridge pilings and stumps all provide eddy areas where prey are easily picked off by smallmouth and other fish.
Prime smallmouth areas often include two or three structural elements. Finding structure is the first step to locating smallies. Examine a map of a local smallmouth river to find creeks and runoff areas. Presence of structure is the primary focus when looking for springtime smallies and the sacrifice of a few jigs to snags is a given. Finding the spot-on-a-spot with timber, rocks or other structure requires some foot or boat work; so let the adventure begin! Through the system of trial and error, the prime areas that hold smallmouth will be revealed. Make note of these areas on a GPS, in a journal or on the map itself. Return to these structured spots throughout the spring for consistent action.
The adage “if you aren’t snagging’ you aren’t bragging’” is definitely the truth when targeting spring smallmouth. The more snags and snarls encountered in an area, the better the chance of hooking up with a monster bronzeback.
Bounce, swim and maneuver a jig through snags and along rocklines to locate where smallmouth are holding. Oftentimes in early spring, smallmouth will be loosely grouped in an area as they stage for spawning. Since these fish are very competitive and aggressive, several smallmouth may follow a hooked fish towards the boat looking for what that fish was feeding on. Keeping your attention to the fish in the water can reveal more opportunities for another bronze battle.
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