Insights and Ideas for More Spring Smallmouth
Spring pre-spawn smallmouth patterns are solidified across so many fisheries throughout the Midwest and Great Lakes. Wherever in these regions you're destined to fish, the smallmouth bass populations of natural lakes, rivers, and reservoirs are guaranteed to be feeding heavily at this time. For many of us, some of the best smallmouth fishing of the season takes place as waters are warming in spring. Where fishing seasons are open to catch and release-only fishing, your pursuits will be excellent if you come prepared ahead of time. The spring thaw, increase in sunlight, and the gradual warming of air and water temperatures draws smallmouths out from their winter slumber. Feeding is their first priority, followed by staging and setting up for the spawn as water temperatures warm into the upper 50’s. The first few weeks of May are a personal favorite time of year as traditional pre-spawn fishing techniques dominate. Prior to spawn, many serious smallmouth anglers covet the short period. With good weather, fishing can be easy with their locations and patterns becoming predictable. However, these past few seasons, the months of April and May have been cha