Smallmouth Tactics..are The Experts Wrong?

[joeD]

Experts are overrated.

[Tim Smith]

Experts are overrated.

Incompetence is over rated.

[Mitch f]

Well, like Al says smallmouth can be anywhere, especially if they are actively feeding. They are much easier to catch when they are in that mode. It seems like on the river the smallmouth start feeding at a certain time, the problem is its tough to determine if you are catching fish because you are fishing a new spot vs the time when they are starting to feed.

[Al Agnew]

One reason I like to do all day float trips is just what Mitch said...you never know when the fish will turn on. There have been many days when the morning's fishing was so slow you'd swear there wasn't a dozen fish in the whole river, and then sometime in early afternoon it turned on and suddenly there were fish everywhere attacking everything.

[Chief Grey Bear]

One reason I like to do all day float trips is just what Mitch said...you never know when the fish will turn on. There have been many days when the morning's fishing was so slow you'd swear there wasn't a dozen fish in the whole river, and then sometime in early afternoon it turned on and suddenly there were fish everywhere attacking everything.

I find that sometime between 11 and 1 is usually when if fires up. Most time it seems around 11. And it will usually last until you get off the water. I still can't quite quit getting on the water early though. My dad won't hit the water till 10. I just haven't quite gotten there yet.

[Mitch f]

I find that sometime between 11 and 1 is usually when if fires up. Most time it seems around 11. And it will usually last until you get off the water. I still can't quite quit getting on the water early though. My dad won't hit the water till 10. I just haven't quite gotten there yet.

Yep, that seems to be the magic time for me as well. I also agree with F&F about wildlife being hardwired to be predictable on feeding patterns and such. During my duck hunting days I noticed the mallards would mill around in the morning and you might get a bird or two. But it seemed like between 10 and 2 is what my buddy called "Mallard Time" when the birds came back from the feeding areas to rest or get back on water. I guess those same patterns hold true with river fish as well.

[Gavin]

Seems to depend on time of year & water temps...Fall, Winter, Spring...Mid-Day bite...Oppressively hot...Morning...or Evening into Night......My best ever was caught at 2:30 in the afternoon in April...The runner up was caught before sunrise in July......hotter than Heck.

[drew03cmc]

I find that sometime between 11 and 1 is usually when if fires up. Most time it seems around 11. And it will usually last until you get off the water. I still can't quite quit getting on the water early though. My dad won't hit the water till 10. I just haven't quite gotten there yet.

You are old, but not quite to that point yet, right? Eight is my magic number. If I am on the water, I can normally find and catch fish, normally being the operative term.