While I am sure every system is different, there are certain consistencies in regards to river smallmouth behavior during the spawn.

 

For guys who fish beds, which I’ve tried and while I don’t enjoy it quite as much as targeting active fish has it’s place in the absence of other options for bored trophy hunters - do you find that Ned rigging is key and once fry have hatched a fluke is the only really consistent technique?

 

Lastly, what is your game plan once the fry have been displaced by the first blow out, do you immediately switch over to summer pattern or do you find them scattered, lethargic and difficult to catch?

That sounds awfully specific, I’ve never really seen any of that in 35 yrs of fishing so I’m no help. I’m dragging a worm that’s not a ned rig no matter what time of year it is, spawn or fry or post or pre, rain or sleet or snow 

When im fishing for largemouth i cant stand fishing a worm or something like it slow, but put me on a river and tell me theres smallmouth and all i want to do is drag a ned rig on the bottom for hours and hours.

I dont care what time of year it is, a smallmouth will always bite one. If that doesnt work a fluke, square bill or top water should.

 

Also the river im fishing is so muddy till summer i cant tell what the bass are doing or what stage they are in.

It’s illegal in PA to make multiple casts at a visible bed. I will fish creek mouths a lot.

It's legal to target beds here, but I don't like doing it (unless it looks like a big'un).  They're never all doing the same thing at the same time, so I'll usually just look for the hungry ones roaming the shallows.

I'm fishing a ned rig, a curly tail grub, or a crawdad jig most of the year.  Jerkbaits when I'm tired of plastics.