I fish a small narrow river that averages 3-5 ft, the Little Miami River in Dayton Ohio.  I usually catch fish well into August, but I have noticed the bite has slowed a little. Should I be fishing in the deeper holes now or does that statistic not apply to smaller shallower streams?

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

I fish a small narrow river that averages 3-5 ft, the Little Miami River in Dayton Ohio.  I usually catch fish well into August, but I have noticed the bite has slowed a little. Should I be fishing in the deeper holes now or does that statistic not apply to smaller shallower streams?

 

"Deep" is always relative, but yes, in rivers, reduced flow in late summer will tend to concentrate bass in the deeper areas that remain as the water level drops. it does not mean they will not go shallow where they can -- much of the food production still occurs in the shallower riffle areas...It just means that a productive area in June may become too shallow to support as much activity in August, as more of the fish are hanging out a little deeper where they're a little less exposed.

In the heat of the summer, the best fishing is often going to be found near shallow, faster water where there is more oxygen. It is true that some fish will be in deeper water but those fish are usually inactive and aren’t feeding. 

48 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

"Deep" is always relative, but yes, in rivers, reduced flow in late summer will tend to concentrate bass in the deeper areas that remain as the water level drops. 

It isn't true here. Not sure I've ever caught a smallmouth that deep in Kansas, in the summer time, in my life.

People regularly pull smallies out of 20-50ft here in Lake Ontario

3 hours ago, Krux5506 said:

People regularly pull smallies out of 20-50ft here in Lake Ontario

X2

Typical summer pattern on the great lakes is 20-55 fow. 

Might be highly dependent on the lake/river itself.  Ultra clear water could drive them deeper whereas if you're fishing a small river, its not even going to have a spot nearly that deep.  I fish a river that maxes out around 8-10 feet in a couple spots and I'm sure there are some stacked in there during the heat of summer.  But the majority of the fish I catch are much shallower near current, fallen logs, or boulders sticking out of the water.

17 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Might be highly dependent on the lake/river itself.  Ultra clear water could drive them deeper whereas if you're fishing a small river, its not even going to have a spot nearly that deep.  I fish a river that maxes out around 8-10 feet in a couple spots and I'm sure there are some stacked in there during the heat of summer.  But the majority of the fish I catch are much shallower near current, fallen logs, or boulders sticking out of the water.

You have success throughout most of the summer well into August?

33 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

You have success throughout most of the summer well into August?

Sure do!  I actually ONLY fish rivers for brownies in July and August because they are so aggressive.  I haven't gone yet this season but intend to very soon.  I'll report back how it went.  Here's a couple I caught last August.

 

I've tried it in other parts of the season (mainly June or September) and its not nearly as good.  The clarity of the river makes a big difference.  Usually the water is so murky and silty in the spring its unfishable.

I'll echo what others said: river and stream smallmouth fishing tends to be the best for me during late summer (mid july to very early septemeber), but I do target "deep" holes, which are around 4-7 ft in my spots.

17 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

I fish a small narrow river that averages 3-5 ft, the Little Miami River in Dayton Ohio.  I usually catch fish well into August, but I have noticed the bite has slowed a little. Should I be fishing in the deeper holes now or does that statistic not apply to smaller shallower streams

I catch them shallow and deep all year long . They don't know the rules and would break the rules if they did know them 

I honestly think that these small river bass would bite just about anything I tossed at them.  The key is to get it in the right spot.  Accuracy is far more important than lure selection.  Some of the spots are about as big as a dinner plate.  If you miss, they won't bite.  They vary in size from 10 inches all the way up to 21.  There's also pike and walleyes in the river, although they are not as abundant or willing to bite in the heat of summer.

 

Portions of these small rivers are only inches deep.  Wading, or using a canoe/kayak/jonboat is the only way to access them.  I think that is why I never hardly see anyone out there.  Plus the deer flies can be intolerable.

20 FOW seems to be the sweet spot with only a few exceptions.

Surface water temp is 78

I think the thermocline is around 20-25 FOW

11 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

It isn't true here. Not sure I've ever caught a smallmouth that deep in Kansas, in the summer time, in my life.

I agree I usually target somewhere between 8 - 12 ft, but fish shallower if the structure is there.

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

Sure do!  I actually ONLY fish rivers for brownies in July and August because they are so aggressive.  I haven't gone yet this season but intend to very soon.  I'll report back how it went.  Here's a couple I caught last August.

 

I've tried it in other parts of the season (mainly June or September) and its not nearly as good.  The clarity of the river makes a big difference.  Usually the water is so murky and silty in the spring its unfishable.

Nice fish! What river is that? Yeah I agree, the first half of the summer is a bust for me with all the rain, I agree water clarity is everything.

12 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Nice fish! What river is that?

Rum River.  It flows out of Mille Lacs Lake and into the Mississippi in Anoka.

4 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Rum River.  It flows out of Mille Lacs Lake and into the Mississippi in Anoka.

Nice, Minnesota has some prime fishing and beautiful scenery. I grew up fishing all over Canada and got to exploee the boundary waters.

For all the posts here, some guys are talking lakes, others (like me) are talking rivers. My rivers are all pretty shallow. So shallow that you don’t even consider running a boat with a prop on it. Big difference in fishing shallow rivers vs deep rivers vs lakes. An important point to consider. Shallow, fast water that is near deeper water will be where you should be looking if you want bigger fish. 

It is interesting to read the replies. Out here in Oregon I can catch smallmouth in water anywhere from 3' to 40' on the same day. The Willamette is a big river and has depths of over 130' in places. There is no fast water (riffles) like you might have in a stream or small river but there are areas with more or less current but never a lot of current in the summer.

 

My favorite summer spots are humps surrounded by deeper water. Some days the bass stay on top of the humps all day and will hit a reaction bait. Some days that bite ends in the morning. The "normal" pattern is to fish the humps tops until that bite stops then progressively work deeper and follow the fish down with a Ned rig or drop shot.

 

I am not sure if I am chasing the same fish or if the fish at a certain depth become inactive and I am just finding a group at a greater depth that are more active.

 

I would describe a normal day out here as calm in the morning, then the sun comes out and it is calm and sunny for a bit, then the wind starts to pick up (usually rising steadily throughout the day) and it is sunny and windy until I go home. It seems like under calm sunny conditions only deeper fish (15-40') are active. Many times the shallow fish get active in the middle of the afternoon if there is a good chop.

 

There is no magic depth out here that produces all day long. I just try to fish structures that give me the opportunity to work a bunch of different depths until I find the biters and then I pay close attention to if they stop.

 

For whatever reason it is easy for me to be catching fish at a good clip off a certain structure and fail to notice for quite a while that they have stopped biting unless I really pay attention.

 

Not sure if any of this applies to you but that is how it is out here in Oregon.

22 hours ago, Scott F said:

For all the posts here, some guys are talking lakes, others (like me) are talking rivers. My rivers are all pretty shallow. So shallow that you don’t even consider running a boat with a prop on it. Big difference in fishing shallow rivers vs deep rivers vs lakes. An important point to consider. Shallow, fast water that is near deeper water will be where you should be looking if you want bigger fish. 

Or reservoirs, which are rivers and lakes all in one. We’ve been down this rabbit hole before and most folks just can’t wrap their mind around that 

During the summer heat, right in the middle of the day I fish for shallow creek/river smallmouth. I sometimes fish for largies in mornings and evenings. But I fish for smallies in the interim. I have had enough success to not try for smallies in deep lakes or reservoirs. But deeper holes in creeks/rivers will hold them. Last weekend I noticed that the largemouth were in deep holes or in shaded areas, and smallmouth were in the shallows in direct sunlight.

54 minutes ago, Manly Studson said:

During the summer heat, right in the middle of the day I fish for shallow creek/river smallmouth. I sometimes fish for largies in mornings and evenings. But I fish for smallies in the interim. I have had enough success to not try for smallies in deep lakes or reservoirs. But deeper holes in creeks/rivers will hold them. Last weekend I noticed that the largemouth were in deep holes or in shaded areas, and smallmouth were in the shallows in direct sunlight.

River smallies in 90 degree weather at lunch time? Give me a top water and somebody get the net!

8 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

River smallies in 90 degree weather at lunch time? Give me a top water and somebody get the net!

You’re right on the money! I use poppers all afternoon.

17 hours ago, pdxfisher said:

It is interesting to read the replies. Out here in Oregon I can catch smallmouth in water anywhere from 3' to 40' on the same day. The Willamette is a big river and has depths of over 130' in places. There is no fast water (riffles) like you might have in a stream or small river but there are areas with more or less current but never a lot of current in the summer.

 

My favorite summer spots are humps surrounded by deeper water. Some days the bass stay on top of the humps all day and will hit a reaction bait. Some days that bite ends in the morning. The "normal" pattern is to fish the humps tops until that bite stops then progressively work deeper and follow the fish down with a Ned rig or drop shot.

 

I am not sure if I am chasing the same fish or if the fish at a certain depth become inactive and I am just finding a group at a greater depth that are more active.

 

I would describe a normal day out here as calm in the morning, then the sun comes out and it is calm and sunny for a bit, then the wind starts to pick up (usually rising steadily throughout the day) and it is sunny and windy until I go home. It seems like under calm sunny conditions only deeper fish (15-40') are active. Many times the shallow fish get active in the middle of the afternoon if there is a good chop.

 

There is no magic depth out here that produces all day long. I just try to fish structures that give me the opportunity to work a bunch of different depths until I find the biters and then I pay close attention to if they stop.

 

For whatever reason it is easy for me to be catching fish at a good clip off a certain structure and fail to notice for quite a while that they have stopped biting unless I really pay attention.

 

Not sure if any of this applies to you but that is how it is out here in Oregon.

 

Pretty much the same weather conditions and fish patterns here in southern B.C., Canada. I'm on the water at first light and usually put in 4-5 hours. 

I fish river smallmouth the same way from spring to fall.....eddies, large rocks, ledges, below Rapids, transition swirls, wood in various depths. 

 

They are just trying to stay wet.