Where are the smallmouth?

[BassB8Caster]

Two nights in a row i have fished the same small pond that has only smallmouth. Both were fished afterwork around 5pm until around 7. The first night i got a decent amount of hits on a frog. Didnt land any tho. I then tried several other lures with out any luck. I tried square bills, deeper diving cranks, chatterbait. Last night I started off with a spinner and caught a decent smallie within the first 30 minutes of fishing. Fish was super aggressive. grabbed the lure right away. it actually started jumping before i realized i had a fish on. Thing faught like a champ. Hardest fighting fish ive ever caught. This was in probably 2 feet of water. I ended up catching one perch over the next hour and a half. I mostly fished the shore (anywhere from 2 - 15 feet of water) which had lots of rocks and downed trees. I would also try off deeper too. Couldnt find them. This was a small 96 acre pond. The water felt much warmer than i thought it would be. 

Im fishing out of a kayak without any fishfinder or depth finder. Both nights were pretty calm. We did have showers both days. Any ideas where these fish are? Im stumped. Im about to give up on it but its super convenient, only a few minutes from my house. 

[Hurricane]

Try the Ned Rig...

[drew4779]

My first instinct...Tubes (fished very slowly) in grass and around rocks.

[CNYfishing]

Probably out in deeper water. Throw something finesee and fish slow if that doesnt work try something big and fish it slow

[BassB8Caster]

Will definitely give those suggestions a try. This is my first spawn period fishing for bass. Lots of ups and downs that's for sure. Last summer I could bang the banks and cover water and end up with a decent amount. Lately that tactic is not producing. I am occasionally trying deep. But no luck. Deep water is my weakness. 

[idabass]

Try a shakey head with a zoom trick worm or something similar. Sounds like a great spot for it as long as there is not a lot of grass that will bunch up on your jig head.

["hamma"]

considering the hours your fishing try a topwater, when the light starts to fade it takes a while for a fishes eyes to adjust to the light change. If the light is fading when you are starting to fish, it will take a bit of time for them to adjust. Topwaters that make a racket will draw a few strikes during this time as its a sound thats attracting them not a color or flash

[BassB8Caster]

I do need to fish worms (and all soft plastics for that matter) more. I did try topwater both nights. First night I have a few hits on the frog. Second night I fished a popr a decent amount with no luck. 

Thanks again for all the tips. I love learning new things as I've only been bass fishing since last summer. It's an addiction I can't  (and don't want) to shake. Needless to say,  my first spawn season fishing has been a (fun) challenge. 

[Hogsticker]

Don't give up. Like any body of water you have to put in your time. Once you get it figured out it will be that much more rewarding OR once you think you have something figured out turns out you don't. Every day can be different. Just be thankful you're only dealing with 96 acres. 

[BassB8Caster]

7 hours ago, Hogsticker said:

Don't give up. Like any body of water you have to put in your time. Once you get it figured out it will be that much more rewarding OR once you think you have something figured out turns out you don't. Every day can be different. Just be thankful you're only dealing with 96 acres. 

I agree. I went out on to a huge lake this past sunday. There are big fish in it. But i realized after getting back to shore at the end of the day, big lakes are best with a boat. Starting to really dig the smaller ponds with my kayak. And i agree 1000% on the "once you think you have them figured out, you dont". Thats true on many levels. But what really makes everything worth it is when you notice something (structure, current, hole in vegetation etc) that makes you say to  your self "thats a perfect bass spot". THen you fish it just how you imagine it and it works out. Such a good feeling. And it is crazy how the same body of water can be so different one day to the next. Even if conditions are the same. Many times i have gone back to a pond that i did well on to be skunked the second day. Like they disappeared. Anyway. Thanks for the input. 

[Spankey]

I would not give up on it. Don't over think your situation. I have a feeling the fish have not set-up in a summer location. They are still in somewhat of a transition period. I'm dealing with somewhat of the same situation on a river system. I think post spawn is my issue. We'll figure it out. Hang in there and do what has worked for you in the past.Use what you have confidence in. Maybe you'll go out tomorrow and hammer the heck out of them.

[BassB8Caster]

I agree. I'm seeing them kinda all over the place. Some spawning. Some post spawn. Some shallow, some off shore. Mix that in with different places different times of the day. Makes it quite a challenge. But it is just so much fun. Nothing beats that feeling of accomplishment when you look at something and say to yourself "there should be a fish right there".......and it works out. 

[Bryant Williams]

Time to try something new. If your old tactics aren't working then its time to add new tricks to your bag. I like the Senko's when my chatterbaits and swim baits stop working.

[BassB8Caster]

17 hours ago, Bryant Williams said:

Time to try something new. If your old tactics aren't working then its time to add new tricks to your bag. I like the Senko's when my chatterbaits and swim baits stop working.

i agree. i often try to change things up. I dont have the patience to keep trying the same thing for hours on end. Lately what has been killing me is the winds. I have been having 20 plus winds the last few times fishing. That blows my kayak all around. I have an anchor but it is only around 15 feet. When i have been trying to find smallies on deeper points its been very windy. This is killing the attempt at putting a tube on the bottom or fishing a soft plastic. And lately the spinners, chatterbait etc havent been producing. I do need to try the lipless cranks more. They cast great in wind too!