This never happens to me here in Tennessee.  We wacked 'em deep

fishing Siebert Outdoors 3/8 oz football heads/ Rage Tail Craws. My

buddy did half as well with the BPS 3"  (skinny)Tube. All the fish were

at 20' or more along a vertical cliff.

Doesn't happen much up here either, but I got into a bunch of them last Sunday in 3 ft of water on a spinnerbait. Water had some current and lot of rocks, and they were very aggressive. And I could see some great monuments from where I was standing!

I wish I had some structure like that to catch consistent smallmouth in the summer from the bank. Ever since mid June, after the pre spawn, smallie fishing hasn't been for me.

I wish I had some structure like that to catch consistent smallmouth in the summer from the bank. Ever since mid June, after the pre spawn, smallie fishing hasn't been for me.

 

It's been a tough year for smallies in WNY.  By now, I am usually around 100 caught, but the amount of rain we are constantly getting, the creek(s) are always chocolate milk.  I am hopefully getting out tomorrow and/or Friday for a few hours.

It's been a tough year for smallies in WNY.  By now, I am usually around 100 caught, but the amount of rain we are constantly getting, the creek(s) are always chocolate milk.  I am hopefully getting out tomorrow and/or Friday for a few hours.

I haven't been out lately at all, but when I do, I can usually only grind out one maybe two smallmouth on the Niagara River.  The only way I can get a bite is to heave a 3/8 or 1/2 oz dropshot as far as I can get it, to get as deep as I can.  It also doesn't help that in the summer everyday on the Upper river is a zoo after like 10am. So far, May has been my favorite month for smallmouth because the smallmouth are shallow for bank beaters to catch and its still cold enough to keep most recreational boaters away.

Also having trouble locating smallies this year. Consistency has been mediocre. Agreed, water clarity is an issue I believe with the lake turning over and the runoff

I've been catching so many smallmouths I've caught 18 of them in the last two days.Not a single largemouth though.I'm not sure why it's just a little pond.

I've been slaying them up shallow as of late 2-5 fow

^^^ Yup, same here. Real shallow and just as aggressive. But the key is the deep water nearby and an amply food supply. Even in the middle of a scorching hot day with bluebird skies, they can be seen shallow and ready to hit mostly anything you throw

^^^ Yup, same here. Real shallow and just as aggressive. But the key is the deep water nearby and an amply food supply. Even in the middle of a scorching hot day with bluebird skies, they can be seen shallow and ready to hit mostly anything you throw

Exactly! Big rock flats adjacent to wind blown islands have been key of late, we have had 35+ degree days here in Ontario as of late and there are still big fish up shallow sunning themselves.

Its been a mix of deep water and shallow for me. But my bigger fish are coming of sand with chunk rocks with single isolated cabbage strands. Fun how a smallmouth will relate to one piece of green cabbage and try to hide in crystal clear water. Its definetly been a weird year here as well for typical seasonal patterns. Makes it fun though figuring them out. There one day, gone the next