Summer movement?

[jbmaine]

From what everyone says, My understanding is that during the Summer SM move around a lot. On one of the lakes I fish there is a small Island ( about 15 ft. in diameter) that rapidly drops off to around 25 foot depth on two sides. This summer these drop-offs have yielded 2-4 SM on just about every trip. I'll fish it, catch what I can, then move on when the fishing dies down. What I'm wondering is, because it's proven to be a good SM spot, should I keep fishing it even after the action dies down, with the idea that sooner or later more SM will move into the area? Maybe instead of chasing them all over the lake, wait and let them come to you? Do you think this would be a viable idea?

                                                            Thanks

                                                                  Jim

 

[A-Jay]

For me summer smallies are all about a 'bite window'.

Of course it plays a role all season, but seems early & especially late season, 'the window' seems to stay open much longer; often all day long. Routinely in July for instance, Bite windows on the northern inland lakes are really small for me on smallies.  About an hour long starting right at day light and then again either right at or just after sunset.  

This is all mid-week stuff as the weekends can be too busy & dead. 

Night ops can prove to be much better - usually are this time of year.

Running & gunning works well for me other times of the year but with the windows so small, often less than 30 minutes, it's easy to miss them; meaning being in the wrong place at the right time.

Either way, in an effort to be at the right place at the right time, I'll camp on places.  

Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't, it's an all in type of deal.

History on a lake really helps but in the end it's up to the fish to show & eat. 

I'm expecting (insert hoping) things pick up here mid-or perhaps 3rd week of August.

In the meantime, we're just hanging . . . .

That's my story and I'm stick'in to it.

btw - I believe there's something to "letting a spot rest" - leaving and coming back later, perhaps even presenting baits in a different direction the next time, if possible.

A-Jay

[mattkenzer]

15 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I believe there's something to "letting a spot rest" - leaving and coming back later, perhaps even presenting baits in a different direction the next time, if possible. 

I am a firm believer in A-Jay's statement above.

 

Quick story .... I fish in a local smallmouth tournament every year, basically a bunch of buddies trying to get bragging rights for a year. Small lake (500 acres) and 20 boats. I have placed in the top three for the last 4 years and the best fish have not come from the same spot even once. So yes, in the summer I run and gun, returning to the same spots 3-4 times throughout the day but I don't spend more than 20 minutes per spot if I don't get a bite. Remember, other boats have hit the same spots.

 

Ok, I am done rambling .....

[Spankey]

Don't overlook that place in the fall. 

[rejesterd]

I would try a few more different presentations after catching a couple, but move on pretty soon if none of those presentations work.  

 

My observation is that smallies roam, but only in a certain radius that's centered around some type of structure (usually rock piles and ledges).  They will stray from the structure a little bit, but they usually come back to the same areas during the season.  So I basically just mark those rock piles and ledges, and putter around them until I see something on the finder.  I start out right over the structure, then spiral out from it until I see fish.

[Spankey]

A-Jay has a great post. I'm a Smallie addict but on a river. I'll generally have two spots I have to hit and fish it inside out and will produce fish. After that it's putting on a slow drift of some type. When I pick off fish I keep moving on. Occasionally throw a marker, but I really don't like to do that. Most times I'll drift that a second time and go back through. 

[jbmaine]

Thanks for the input everyone.

                   The quest continues.

[Turkey sandwich]

There's some good info, for sure.  

How big is the lake?  The size of the lake and the available structure are going to be important, as is the dominant bait in the lake.  If a lake is large, has a variety of structure and ambush points close to depth changes where fish can slide down and relax in cool, oxygenated water, then I would expect fish to slide up and down that structure UNLESS you have big schools of pelagic baitfish (shad, alewife, herring, and to a lesser extent, perch).  If you've got a big population of pelagic baitfish, they're likely going to follow the schools and move a lot, and I've found that resting spots and returning to them can be really effective in these lakes, especially during the summer.  

 

Sometimes You can get on good schools of fish this way.  I like to approach them with a reaction bait first (usually a crankbait, topwater, or a swim jig) and then follow up with a jig/craw, tube, and dropshot.  Sometimes you can get a school riled back up just by changing baits/presentations.  Sometimes you take the pattern that just worked and look for similar spots once the bite dies down and come back later.  Also, smallmouth will absolutely feed shallow during lowlight periods all summer, especially if good ambush opportunities are available.

 

[jbmaine]

The lake is 900+ acres with a max depth of 40+ feet. In many places the bottom goes up and down like a roller coaster. I tried mapping the lake to find more sharp drop offs, as apposed to gradual changes in depth, but had an issue with my Garmin. When I get it back I'll try mapping the lake again. Right now the only sharp drop off I know for a fact is the spot I mentioned above. Ultimately I plan on having several areas identified to hit during the summer. Also there is bait fish everywhere. It's a real healthy lake.

[Spankey]

At least the large population of baitfish is a good sign. Baitfish activity can set up where you're going to fish. I prefer to fish smallies on the river. Rains have messed the river up pretty much all season for me. I've been fishing the lake and enjoying my catches and the strategic change up. In my case the river should start to get better. Your favorite spot I can't help but think should be great during the fall when the smallies put on the feed bag. I have two spots I hit religiously on the river having that quick dropoff. Crankbaits and topwater seem to produce well there.