Recovering From Post Front Conditions

[Glenn]

Here's a question I don't think I've heard before: Do smallmouth recover faster than largemouth from post-front conditions?

What do you think and why?

[BASSclary]

I have no idea because smallies are few and far between in my waters, if there at all.

But I wouldn't think so.

Maybe their diet has more to do with it, and the locations they habitat.

[Nitrofreak]

I have never caught a small mouth but to the attest of a lot of people that have, it seems they are a lot more aggressive than the large mouth bass, if we take into account their enviroment, and the food source, such as river systems then I would say yes, the small mouth would most likely be the first to recover.

If it is in a lake system where food is abundant then I don't think there is as much difference, but again my vote would have to be in favor of the small mouth.

I fish pretty deep for most of the year, I have found in my home waters that pre, during and post cold fronts do have an effect on shallow fishing but not near as much on fish that are deep, 20ft or more.

[unionman]

I all know is they are some "finicky" fish. Maybe they take longer?...

[roadwarrior]

Well, lakes and rivers are completely different. On a river, or at least on the Tennessee River,

the main variable is water release (current and volume). By best day ever coincided with a rapidly

rising barometer, post-front.

[out_doors_guy]

Being blessed with good fishing nearby for both, I would say Smallies recover slightly quicker. I think it has to do with 2 factors, first; smallmouth are more aggresive by nature than their cousins, second; they generally live deeper than largemouth do, and as such they aren't as effected as much to begin with.

The second point brings up what, in my opinion, is one of the biggest myths in fishing: fish move deeper after a cold front. No they don't, the shallow fish are still shallow there activity level is simply lower. The perception is caused by the deeper fish being less affected therefore they are easier to catch, leading some to believe they are fish that "moved" deeper after the front.

[Phish]

I've read a bit on this topic in the past that smallies are known to recover or "activate" quicker. On average two days for SM, 3 for LM. Seemed more like speculation to me with no solid evidence.

I couldn't say much from experience, I struggle on both after a cold front. I seem to only pick up a few scavengers or single cruising fish the first few days after a front, as opposed to getting into a school or developing anything consistent.

[Nitrofreak]

I've read a bit on this topic in the past that smallies are known to recover or "activate" quicker. On average two days for SM, 3 for LM. Seemed more like speculation to me with no solid evidence.

I couldn't say much from experience, I struggle on both after a cold front. I seem to only pick up a few scavengers or single cruising fish the first few days after a front, as opposed to getting into a school or developing anything consistent.

Nice job !!

Thats basically what you want to look for imo, if you find a school of fish, the bass that are under them are pretty much content and it's difficult to get them to react, I too search out the more singular fish, they are more apt to strike a bait than the ones found in a grouping during a front.

[CalebWVU]

What exactly is meant by "post-frontal" conditions? As in a cold front, warm front, high pressure system, etc. Rather than start a new topic I figured I'd ask here.

For example, if we had a big, violent thunderstorm last night, and today it's 10 degrees cooler than it was yesterday, does that mean it was a cold front and that fishing will be worse than usual? I know there's plenty of factors that may determine that, the biggest one probably just being that fish are fish and eat when they want, but would that be an accurate statement in general?

[swarrin4]

At Caleb, post-frontal is referring to after a cold front has passed. You can find this looking at surface maps. Often a cold front is followed by a high pressure system leading to bluebird skies. Pre-frontal often is overcast and wind picking up as the front moves closer. Pre-frontal conditions the fish tend to feed more aggressively, post-front the become a harder bite. It is usually thought after a cold front passes to fish tight to cover with slow presentations to trigger a strike. This is a good article on cold fronts. http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/cold_front.html

[mikeeasttn]

I fish a deep clear TVA lake in East Tn.It is Norris Lake and to be honest I can not tell any difference in the recovery rates of the fish. Both fish are really fished for differently, the largemouth around cover and the smallmouth suspend and are deeper.