The early morning topwater bite has slowed, but you're still marking fish at 10-12ft. over 20-25 ft. of water.  Fishing not far off of submerged weeds in 6-8ft. of water the fish were in earlier, but the smallies are pulling out of that for deeper water.  Flat bottom, sandy/clay or marl.  A small-ish lake with fairly clear water, not crystal but about 4-5ft. visibility.  Forage is likely bluegill or minnows, but the lake also has herring.  Water surface temp 74F.  Lots of 4#-class smallies around, and bigger.  What's you're go-to lure (and rod/reel/line setup if you want to go into more detail)?

 

Rapala DT 8 or 10 in Ike Smash color or Keitech 3.8 swimbait in smallmouth magic.  If that fails, drop a Ned in Canada Craw color among them.

Once low light is over (and I'm talking 30 minutes after sunrise)

in Flat calm, mid-summer conditions, My go-to right there is breakfast.

I'm heading to the ramp, having a day and coming back an hour before sunset.

As for marking fish, of course, they live there.

May not mean they are eating for a while though.

Good Luck

A-Jay

 

I'd try the crank mentioned above first. Then I'm tossing a tube at em to see if they follow it down. If that doesn't draw them, I'm going float and fly set to the depth they're suspended at. Maybe I'll gain the wisdom A-Jay has one day to just head back but for now, I'll keep trying.

I would certainly try a jerk bait that will run 6-8 or 8-10 feet deep. Also I would try both a thin profile and a fatter profile like a LC 128. If that fails take A-Jay’s suggestion.

Suspended summertime bass are a tough nut to crack. I’ve caught some on a jerk bait before but I’ve failed way more than not. Sometimes it’s best to just forget about them and target different fish.

Troll a plug by about 2 mph . Or if you can stand it, dead stick a weightless fluke all the way down there 

crank up the live scope and get the damiki rig going. now i dont have live scope but that seems to be the way they do it nowadays.

Spy Bait  - Perfect situation for a Jackall I Prop

Swimbait

3/16 oz deer hair head jig

I’d still throw a walking bait and work it fast if you know they are there. It just takes one to get fired up. If they won’t hit it I’m dropping to a jerk bait fished fast like Dwight said. If that fails I’m going to throw an underspin for a bit and see if they’ll eat it. I don’t like it though so if that doesn’t work quick I’m calling it a day or going to fish for largemouth. 

Spy bait and a Stayzee 90

1/8oz underspin on light line

Probably a Storm Spybait or Do-It Freestyle Jig with a Zoom Tiny Fluke or Yum Sonar Minnow. 

I did the jerkbait thing, but we quickly switched over to wormin’ largemouth and got onto a good bite.  
 

Spybaiting isn’t in my arsenal… but it will be.  So, more money to spend… thanks guys.??

Swimbait

I'd swim a smaller Keitech or a hair jig in 6-8 ft just above their heads. I don't throw spybaits or do the moping thing but those would be two things to try as well.

3.3 Keitech with 1/4 ounce head

Vision 110 jerkbait

DR spy bait.