Does your game plan change if the water is rising or falling ?  Or do you simply work a wider range of depth to find the pattern regardless of what the water level  is doing

Smallmouth seems to love suspending during falling water. Are we talking rainfall rising it or normal seasonal fluctuations between winter/summer pool? 

I started a thread awhile back similar.

 

Arrived at one of my favorite lakes to find that it was lowered 10' for ramp maintenance.

Was able to drag my kayak to the water and fish.

It turned out to be the slowest fishing day on this particular lake that I've ever experienced.

I'm certain seasonal changes would be less dramatic to the fish.

 

If you're looking for a direct answer, I'd rather have rising water during warmer months.

When the water level changes significantly I just keep fishing but I do get discouraged.  ☹️

The fish move the direction of the water. Fishing water they will push shallower, falling water they pull back. Falling water seems to scatter them while rising water pushes them right up onto the bank.  I love fishing shallow, I hate fishing deep. I think you can guess my water preference. 

I fish big rivers and prefer rising waters. Falling waters tend to scatter fish. I work a wider range of depth regardless until I figure out where the fish are. Of course sometimes I never find them and sometimes I can't hide from them.

Rising water means erosion on the banks, which to a smallie is like new hunting grounds.

If the water drops they're first concern is finding depths to suspend in.