Smallmouth Bass: Where and How to Catch Them by Season
Where Smallmouth Bass hold, what to throw and when the bite peaks, season by season, with lakes to try.
When the bite is on
Across 820 lakes in our guide that list this fish, the bite rates highest in June, July, September. Bars show how strong the bite is, month by month (tallest bar in red is the peak).
Season by season
When water reaches the mid-40s to low 50s, smallmouth move from deep wintering holes to rocky flats and points near spawning areas, usually 8-20 ft. Tubes, hair jigs and suspending jerkbaits crawled along rock are tops.
They favor clean, cooler water and hold on rock humps, current breaks and gravel points at 10-30 ft. Mornings and evenings bring them shallower. Drop-shots, tubes, ned rigs and crankbaits that bump the bottom are dependable.
As water falls through the 60s they feed heavily on crawfish and baitfish around rocky points and mid-depth flats of 8-25 ft. Jerkbaits, swimbaits, and crawfish-colored crankbaits are a good starting point.
In water under 45F they pile up in deep holes, often 25-50 ft, and hardly chase. Tube jigs, blade baits and drop-shot minnows fished vertically and slowly pay off, mostly midday.
Males build nests on gravel or rock in 2-10 ft when water reaches 55-65F, typically late spring. Guard fish take small tubes, jigs and Senkos dropped near the nest, but gentle handling matters.
Baits that work
- Tube jigs
- Drop-shot with small minnow plastics
- Ned rig
- Crankbaits
- Jerkbaits
- Live crawfish and leeches
Common mistakes
- Using oversized, heavy baits
- Fishing mud and weeds rather than rock
- Handling nest-guarding fish roughly or keeping them
- Missing the bite near wind-blown points
Lakes to try
Lakes in our guide where this fish rates at its best, with maps, boat ramps and bait shops on every page.