How do you adjust your deep summer smallie pattern when the weather is cloudy and/or rainy?  If it were sunny, I’d be catching good smallies anywhere from 14-24 feet. How should I adjust the pattern now that rain is in the forecast?  

I don't.  I might go to a darker bait, and I might check for a shallow flats bite, but for the most part, deep fish do what deep fish do.

3 hours ago, J Francho said:

I don't.  I might go to a darker bait, and I might check for a shallow flats bite, but for the most part, deep fish do what deep fish do.

Just the guy I wanted to hear from.  Thanks!  Anybody else?

5 hours ago, n8cas4 said:

How do you adjust your deep summer smallie pattern when the weather is cloudy and/or rainy?  If it were sunny, I’d be catching good smallies anywhere from 14-24 feet. How should I adjust the pattern now that rain is in the forecast?  

Just make sure you are out there as the front approaches.

As @J Francho stated, no need to change things up dramatically, but make sure you check the shallow bite as they get more confidence to leave their holding area or structure as the cloud cover (front) moves in.

That shallow bite may be different fish altogether and those good smallies you are catching might even get better.

 

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

16 minutes ago, mattkenzer said:

That shallow bite may be different fish altogether and those good smallies you are catching might even get better.

I think you're right about that.  I don't think these are the resident, deep fish.  I think these fish are the ones that disappear out in the main lake, and chase bait balls, and don't set up shop on the typical structure we look for deep. 

These guys hit the nail on the head.  Adjusting color on lures would be the only things I'd likely change deep.  I find that in those conditions, the number of active fish in the shallows can increase pretty dramatically and smallmouth may even set up to ambush along the edges of visible cover a lot like largemouth.

I switched it up and put more time into fishing higher in the water column near my deep water spots.  The fish were definitely active with the majority of my weight coming from reaction baits over the top and on the outside edges of the grass.  I did get my big fish out deep switching to a “darker” color.  I think the smallies really spread out and actively suspended on or near the outside edge of the grass.  Thanks for the advice 

Just an observation over the last couple weeks......

 

We have had one of the more erratic Summers and with Fronts coming through like freight trains, we have found that a lot of larger suspending fish that were not interested in eating, came to the top when clouds came in. This has become predictable as of late.  Boat placement has been key and the top water bite has been like no other. Run, gun and return has proved successful when being on the water as Fronts come in.

 

One last observation........large fish missing a top water would not hit it again, but the same fish would hit the wacky when thrown to the same spot. I don't  think they have the same memory when it comes to plastics, but that is purely anecdotal 

I look for the schools of good-size bass on the edge of ledges and rock piles that come up very shallow.  Normally these fish are deeper, but they'll come up in low light.  This is especially true if the wind is blowing and there's good current. If it's colder and rainy, I lean more towards a jerkbait.  If it's warm and rainy, I use a spinnerbait or swimbait.  Brighter colors on the jerkbaits and swimbaits, and basically anything for the spinnerbaits (since they mostly react to the blade flash, not the skirt).

We were out a couple of days ago on a rainy, overcast, foggy day. I thought sure the smallies would be moving around. Went to our usual smallie spots and tried top, and mid to lower column fishing from shallow water on out. Got zip. Went back to bouncing stuff on the bottom and caught fish. On this trip, nothing had changed from sunny days, to a overcast rainy day.