Due to the practice of catch and release smallmouth bass populations are on the rise in most waters both in the U.S. and Canada. No matter where you live there is a fishable smallmouth bass population within a short drive. Although any time is a good time to catch smallmouth, the pre-spawn period is the favorite period for many anglers. Some states have a definite closed bass season, others have an early season open only to catch and release while others have no closed bass season at all. Many states also have special regulations on many waters. So before heading out to your favorite lake make sure you check your state regulations.

Consistent catches of smallmouth on a natural lake can be tough in summer, especially if the water is clear. Major feeding periods will occur at night or at sunup. The window for activity is a small one and often there is no distinct pattern. I have fished several lakes where smallmouth scatter and at times seem impossible to locate. However during the pre-spawn period smallmouth will school up and most anglers have little trouble finding action. Last spring the action was phenomenal we boated over 100 smallmouth in the 20 inch plus range.

Most smallmouth lakes are infertile and structure is at a premium. What scares many anglers about these infertile smallmouth lakes isn’t the lack or structure or weeds but the clear water. It might take a while to locate smallmouth, but once you find one others near by. On occasion there is a well-pronounced point or island in the lake. However you may have to search for small points, gravel shorelines or rubble. These areas can be tough to locate since they won’t show up on most maps.

Due to the clear water in these lakes sight fishing is very productive. Knowledge of points and shoreline structure is a must. With the aid of your electric trolling motor slowly move along the shoreline looking for smallmouth activity. If you move in to quickly you will spook the larger smallmouth. In order to catch big pre-spawn smallmouth you will need to make as few mistakes as possible. The smallmouths dark back will show up easily in rock or gravel bottom. Sight fishing will take a bit of getting used to but once you master it you will catch more and bigger smallmouth.

Once you locate smallmouth start casting shallow running crankbaits. When smallmouth are active they will jump on these baits as soon as they hit the water. If you don’t get a strike when the crankbait hits the water wait a few seconds and retrieve it back to the boat with a series of short twitches, making sure the crankbait runs below the surface. It is common for a school of smallmouth to follow the crankbait back to the boat and hit at boatside so it is important to stay alert.

Wood crankbaits are most productive when the water temperature is less than 55 degrees. A wood crankbait has a slower more direct action. If you are fishing a lake with trophy potential don’t hesitate to use 5 to 6 inch shallow running crankbaits. However, on average a 4-inch crankbait will catch the most fish. Black/white or blue/white are the best color patterns. Avoid working a crankbait that is only one color.

Once the water temperature climbs above 55 degrees plastic crankbaits are effective. Crankbaits like _ or 1/8th ounce Rat-L-Trap will allow you to quickly cover water effectively. Use a steady retrieve and make long cast.

After you picked off the active smallmouth switch over to an ISG Skirted Grub or an ISG Intimidator Tube. These baits will catch both the neutral and inactive smallmouth and many times the largest fish of the day. Use a slow steady retrieve working the grub about one foot off the bottom. Next crawl the grub on the bottom with an occasional pause. Another option is a pre-rigged worm. I have had my best results with a Willy’s pre-rigged worm by ISG products.

Color is important with neutral colors producing the best in clear water. I break down neutral colors into two categories, transparent and solid colors. Transparent colored baits such as smoke or pumpkinseed are speckled and light penetration will attract smallmouth to the bait. Solid colors like black and purple work best on overcast days. Experiment with colors since each lake may have its own hot color. A hot color can not only vary from day to day but change on any given lake at any time.

If smallmouth are turned off due to weather change live bait can be the only productive presentation. In early spring try a light 1/16-ounce jig with a fathead minnow. Once the water temperature reaches 52 degrees leeches are effective. Leeches can either be fished on a light jig or on a plain #4 hook and a split shot. A 1/16 ounce or 1/18 ounce Slo-Poke Jig by Bait Rigs have a slow fall making them ideal for pre-spawn smallmouth. In clear water lakes use either blue or black.

When finesse fishing grubs or live bait the proper tackle is a must. A 6 or 6’6" inch medium light action rod is perfect for fishing grubs and small plastics. A rod should have a fast tip action but plenty of backbone to battle a 20-inch smallmouth. Ultra light rods have to fast of an action and getting a good hook set is difficult. The longer 6’ 6" rod will allow you to make longer casts. The new Ti2000 Titanium Rods by Lamiglas are Ideal for this situation. The TBS 661 is the most sensitive rod I have ever used for fishing tubes and grubs. Light line is also critical in clear water. Four pound test Berkley XL clear monofilament is still the your best bet. The new super lines have nothing over mono when using finesse presentations in clear water.

Stained water reservoirs would be second on my list for when choosing prime waters for pre-spawn smallmouth. Even though many reservoirs are large they can warm quickly in spring. Stained water reservoirs will have large shallow flats with isolated rock humps and rocky shorelines. The best areas on the reservoir will be adjacent to the main river channel. When searching out spawning areas, smallmouth won’t venture any further into to shallow water then need be. The first rock point or gravel bar adjacent to deep water will hold the largest smallmouth in the flowage. Prime pre-spawn areas will have a variety of different sized rocks with either weeds or stumps mixed in. The more structure present the greater smallmouth numbers will be.

Unlike the natural lakes sight fishing is impractical in stained water. Smallmouth will move incredibly shallow in spring and it is common to see their fins sticking out of the water. Twitching shallow running crankbaits is again a deadly tactic. Cast the crankbait as tight to the shore as possible. If your bait lands two or three feet from the shoreline you could be off the fish. One tactic I have perfected over the years is to overcast onto the rocks and drop the crankbait into the water. Make a few shore twitches than retrieve your bait back to the boat. It is rare for a smallmouth to follow your bait back to the boat in stained water when they are in the pre-spawn stage. Since smallmouth don’t move far in the stained water it is important to make several cast into a specific area. Even tough the water is stained bright colors are not necessary when choosing crankbaits. Smallmouth show little preference for color in shallow water.

Grubs and pre-rigged plastic worms are also deadly in flowages. Unlike a crankbait brighter colors are effective when choosing plastic. Top grub colors include chartruese pepper, yellow, and chartruese. A purple pre-rigged worm with a chartruese or orange tail is deadly on most flowages.

Line is not as critical and will depend on the water clarity. If there is good visibility use six pound test line. However if the flowage is extremely dark than use either six or eight pound test. Due to the many rocks and snags avoid using four pound test line. Fluorescent line is also popular with many anglers in dark water. Many anglers prefer to watch the line when fishing in dark water.

Pre-spawn smallmouth bass can offer fast action and plenty of fun for the pro and novice angler alike. Not only the action hot but it is an excellent time to learn the water you fish. With smallmouth being active you will also be able to experiment with many different baits. Bring along your camera and practice catch and release.

For more information, visit mike at his website at www.mikemladenik.com