Cape Cod is blessed with dozens of deep, cool kettle ponds that are perfect habitat for growing big Smallmouth Bass. Unlike their cousins, the largemouth bass, smallmouth actually prefer cooler water temps and can be caught nearly year round on the Cape. In this article, we will give a brief rundown of how smallmouth tend to behave and how you can catch them at various temperatures throughout the year.

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Seasonal Behavior Patterns of the Cape Cod Smallmouth Bass

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Pre-Spawn

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Since this article is being written in early January, let's begin with what is coming next in terms of seasonal behavior adjustments. This season usually begins after the first warm up period after a cold winter and runs through the water temperature rising into the low-mid 50's. On the Cape, that typically occurs in late February-early March. Smallmouth fishing is the fresh water bass fishing that generally starts first on the Cape  earlier in the spring than largemouth fishing might , since largemouths prefer much warmer temps to be come active coming out of the winter. Though it can be a bit uncomfortable fishing in these temps, you can start looking for them when the water temperature is in the mid-40s. Fish the first drop off just off  a large rocky or sandy bottom. At this stage of the pre spawn period,  smallmouths might be hanging out at depths as much as 20-30 feet. What they are doing is waiting for the temperature to come up in the shallows so they can move up and start making their spawning beds.

When the water becomes low to the mid-50s, the larger smallmouths will want to begin moving into the shallow water to spawn. This is a good time of the season to catch a lunker. The flats you should look for should be on the longer side and transition into a meaningful drop off. They should be hanging right off the edge in 10-20 feet of water.

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Best Pre-Spawn Baits

At this part of the season, their activity level will be impacted by slower metabolisms resulting from cold water. You will want to fish baits and lures that can be worked slowly to be most effective.

• Fish rubber crawfish jigs, grubs and carolina rigged worms on drop offs off flats and points for smallmouths.

• Use larger size crankbaits and spinnerbaits in crawdad patterns that are designed to run at depths described above..

• A feather tailed grub rigged on a flat head jig head so that spirals on the fall is also a good choice.

• When fishing pre-spawn smallies in 6-15 feet of clear water key in on small almost unnoticeable points. These points, will act as staging areas for both male and female bass on spring days when the water temp is nearing 50 degrees mark. Use topwater baits on overcast days, use a 1/32oz jighead with a #4 hook (if you can't find them use a plain hook with a small splitshot) tip the jig head with plastics, a 3" craw is tough to beat. My second choice is a 4" black or purple worm. Keep an eye on your line. On those super bright sunny days look for the shaded areas, they don't have to be very big, I have seen huge smallies hold in a tiny shaded area with water barely deep enough to cover their back. . Casting frequently, quietly and accurately is essential.

• When searching for spawning smallies on Cape Cod ponds & lakes, start with the north shore of the biggest part of the lake. Look for big open sand flats.

• On a windy cold spring day try a floating Rapala in the skinny water.. this can be very effective if the water is a tiny bit rough.Tough to cast if it's windy, but worth the effort.

Spawn

It's very easy to catch big females at this time of the year, they will strike anything that enters their spawning beds..be sure to catch and release them carefully.

Our ponds and lakes , particularly the deeper ones, don't warm up evenly.  Because of this, not all bass will spawn at exactly the same time. in most cases, the North side of lakes and the upper areas of ponds begin the warm up process first due to increased sun exposure. The spawning area must have direct access to the sun's rays, so look for shallow flats protected from rough water. Smallmouth will spawn on small diameter gravel next to solid objects such as wood, boulders and weeds. Smallmouths will spawn in water 3-15 feet deep. Generally speaking, the bigger the bass, the deeper the water and the earlier they will spawn. After the spawn, some smallmouths will remain shallow around flooded bushes or stumps, while others will move off to the first available deep water.

Spawn Baits​

• Spinnerbaits work really well on the first spawners of the year. It's possible to catch huge females this way....just take care to release them carefully and try not to stress them too much. Remember, they are spawning and the health of the future fishery can be dramatically reduced if too many big females are unsuccessful at spawning.Re rig your lures with single hooks to limit damage to the fish.

• Carolina rig grubs and Texas rigged crawfish in watermelon, blacks and purple colors work well in clearer water. Swim the crawfish with a slow, steady retrieve as opposed to hopping it like you would a traditional rubber worm.

• If that doesn't work, use rattle-traps and then plastics.

• Use a 5 inch Nessie when bluegill are spawning (usually during and just after bass spawn).

• Rapala Suspending Jerk Baits and Berkley Nessie's

• During late May, early June try using a 1/4 oz Heddon Tiny Torpedo in small shallow areas up to 5-6 feet deep. 

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Post Spawn

If you begin to not be able to find bass on their beds, they likely have moved off into slightly deeper water and are suspending. Post spawn bass fishing can be the hardest few bass fishing weeks of the year...and the most frustrating. Post spawn is rest and  recuperation time for smallmouth. In a few weeks, they begin feeding again normally. Again, Post spawn generally doesn't happen to an entire pond at exactly the same time due to fluctuations in water temperature. Use a topwater bait such as a Zara Spook, even if they're 20 feet deep. Bass will also suspend under floating docks and log booms just after the spawn. Use a jerkbait, then use a jig on the second pass.

Summer

In deep lakes and reservoirs, smallmouths move offshore to deep structure as the water warms into the 70s and 80s. Here, they may be from 10 to 45 feet deep or deeper, and become very difficult to catch. However, it may be worth the effort to fish for them because a great many resident smallmouth may never see a bait that deep. Really large smallmouths could reward the persistent angler. Learn to fish these spots consistently well and you'll catch tons of smallies.

Smallmouths often move up shallower after dark, here they feed on nocturnal forage including crawfish. Look for rocky banks with about a graded slope; these generally have deep water close by. Points with a deep water access, offshore humps and channel breaks are also good. These places may or may not have any cover on them. Smallmouths seem to use deep water as "cover"--they can hide in dark, deep water just as a largemouth lies in a shallow weedbed.

Tips

• Topwaters can be very productive, especially in low-light conditions. It's so exciting to see a big smallmouth demolish a surface bait.

• Underwater humps or sudden rise in elevations  next to a bar is prime smallmouth territory. They love orienting to bottom structure.

• Follow points out beyond the end, sometimes they come back up to form an underwater hump.

• If it's 20 feet deep and comes up only 5 feet, that's a good spot. If it then drops off dramatically, park it and fish it heavily!

  • In the morning, use all types of lures on this spot, they'll move around this hump all day.

  • Carolina worms work better later in the day in the 20-35 foot zone.

• Use a single spin short arm spinnerbait for night fishing. Use a black nylon skirt with a black blade. Trim the skirt so it's even with the bottom of the hook and add a #11 Uncle Josh black pork frog. A pump and drop retrieve works best.

• Spider jigs are also great summer lures. Experiment with colors and sizes to find what the bass want on your lake.

• On those hot calm, summer days, Smallies love to be feeding on leaches. To effectively fish them, try slow trolling a size 40 or eight wooly bugger slowly. Deadly Technique.

• Try fishing for smallies on the down-river side of channel locks. A 3 1/2" grub style rubber bait in a dark or muted color( pumpkin/ red flake is a personal favorite) simply drifted across the bottom is a simple and very effective way to fish at this time of the year. By drifting around you'll be able to search out schools of smallies and you won't spook them. 

Fall

Smallmouths move in and station themselves along points as the water moves back down into the 60s. However they will like to hang more towards the deeper water.

The deep sides of the point can be very productive. Many fish will continue to suspend out over deep troughs but may end up in shallower during the daytime and can occasionally be taken on topwater lures. Use the same lures you used in the summer, adding big spinnerbaits to the list.

Tips

• Surface baits are awesome in the fall. As water cools smallies move to shallower water and near the surface. Try to find a shelf or a point just offshore because it is shallow while allowing the bass

• Smallmouth tend to group more tightly in the fall. They are not as scattered as they are in the spring, especially on the bigger ponds. Once you find them, you usually have a whole school. Remember also, they generally school by size. If the fish you're catching are smaller, move on! 

Winter

Smallmouths in reservoirs often will stay at or below the 20-foot zone. The biggest smallmouths tend to stay deeper most of the time; smaller fish can be taken in shallow water, especially on overcast days. Fish sloping shale, gravel or chunk rock banks with a 45-degree angle into deep water. Deeper points will be used as holding areas. Fish the "hollows" or V-shaped area formed by narrow creeks; fish will often suspend in the middle of these places and move up onto either bank to feed. Focus on the bottom of steep drops and green weedlines. Use a vertical presentation with jigs and spoons.

Tips​

• In the winter locating the best areas to fish can be a difficult task at best. One tip is to get a topographical map and check for freshwater springs. The smallmouths love these in the winter and stack up like you wouldn't believe. Once you've found one in the 20- to 30-foot range, fish baits like 1/64-ounce marabou jigs or a Silver Buddy with a piece of flash tap on the side.