Tips for Smallmouth Bass Fishing in the Spring

Optimum Water Conditions

First, you can usually find smallmouth bass in clear, cool water. Typically this means rivers and spring-fed bodies of water, but some of the biggest smallmouth bass have been caught from Lake Erie and other lakes, so don't discount them. Since smallmouth prefer cooler water, look for shady areas in late spring after the fish spawn. Smallmouth like hiding in protected areas, so if there are outcroppings of rock in the river, tangles of roots, or a fallen tree with deep water beneath, you may find a good casting place for reeling in a smallmouth.

The Right Equipment

Smallmouth bass are fighters, meaning they won't simply give up and allow themselves to be reeled in. They can be challenging to catch, and they put up hardy fights in the spring. Although the type of fishing rod isn't imperative, a good, sturdy fishing line is non-negotiable, since smallmouth bass are strong and feisty and can easily break a line. Nodak Outdoors recommends using orange or pink ball head jigs for baiting the fish and, as the site reads, "if the fishing gets tough, add a fathead minnow or half of a night crawler to the presentation." Grub lures, with tails that twitch in the water and shimmer--catching the light--look mouthwatering to a hungry smallmouth.

Know the Smallmouth's Behavior

Before the water temperature rises too much, smallmouth bass will head for the shallows to spawn, and their hunger will drive them to bite on a variety of lures. According to the Smallmouths website (smallmouths.com), when the river water begins to rise above 50 degrees, the smallmouth bass tend to move down into deeper, cooler waters and shaded areas. Cast your lure back into the deeper water and steadily reel it back toward the shallower water. You may catch a glimpse of a smallmouth following your lure with interest. Be patient if it doesn't bite right away. In later spring, smallmouth bass can be hungry but more cautious. Loud noises such as splashing or a revving boat motor will scare them away. Carefully and quietly approach an area where you suspect the bass to be hiding and try to tempt them out with a delicious-looking lure.

Catch and release so the spirited smallmouth can live to strike a lure again.