Your deepest smallmouth?

[The Baron]

We were fishing the St. Lawrence River a couple weeks ago, just outside of Lake Ontario.  Most fish were in 10-30ft of water but we went to a spot that was 45-55ft and picked up several smallies, including a couple of our better fish for the day.  We were fishing on a Monday and the theory was that the exceptionally heavy boat traffic the previous weekend may have pushed them deeper in some of the busier spots.  It got me thinking about just how deep SMB will “regularly” go.

 

So, what’s the deepest water you’ve pulled a smallmouth up from?  And was it suspended or feeding near the bottom?

[TnRiver46]

I fish a lot of cliffs that are 100+ feet deep and catch them letting a lure fall down the face of it. But I don’t know how deep they are when they bite it so I can’t really answer. I would some some are at least 50 ft 

[WRB]

We were jigging for Lake trout on Crow lake in Ontario Cananda in 150' of water, came across a saddle at 85' and hooked a 4 lb smallie on a Sonar lure about 5' off the bottom, 80' deep.

Tom

 

[Dwight Hottle]

I have caught smallies on bottom at a wreck in 56 fow. 

[J Francho]

I don't think I've tried deeper than 50'.  I did pick up one, fishing for lakers in around 75', but I suspect that bugger was suspended in less.  My bait never hit bottom.

[FryDog62]

Maybe a stupid question but will they survive being caught that deep?  

[J Francho]

4 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Maybe a stupid question but will they survive being caught that deep?  

If immediately released.  Fizzing can work as well, if you're keeping them for weigh in, but I would never fish that deep in a tournament, even on Erie.

[TnRiver46]

30 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Maybe a stupid question but will they survive being caught that deep?  

They always swim straight back down, you can see them do it when you release next to the transducer

[Spankey]

Deepest between 15 and 18 feet. River fishing smallies. One of my nicer smallies out of the river. Was caught fishing Guido Bugs. A form of craw. Not around or popular any more. Still have some and still fish them on occasion. 

10 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

They always swim straight back down, you can see them do it when you release next to the transducer

Yes, they are always about digging their way to the bottom. Especially when they are closer to the boat. 

[deadadrift89]

After 2 big cold fronts been catching them hugging bottom in 35' Northern Minnesota this week. Deepest place on this lake is 37'

[WRB]

Smallmouth bass are a little more tolerant then LMB to pressure changes but all bass must get back to the depth they acclimated to be in quickly. 

Tom

[DubyaDee]

This summer I caught them in 45 feet on the Big Rideau up by you in Kingston. Prior to that trip, I've never fished that deep.

[OkobojiEagle]

I brought one to the boat from the bottom of a 65' drop-off, the eyes looked as if they were going to explode from the head.  I released it to swim back down, but considered that a killed smallie.  I won't fish deeper than 40' anymore!

 

oe

[senile1]

I have caught them at 40 - 45 feet at Table Rock Lake.  

[Columbia Craw]

52

[Jleebesaw]

I've got them at 75' on the st lawrence several times while walleye fishing. It's pretty common to get them that deep while dragging bottom for walleyes. I'm sure they will go deeper, but that's about as deep as I ever get.

[dodgeguy]

50 feet on a 1oz spoon popping off the bottom.

[GANGGREEN]

I've caught them consistently at 55-60 feet on the bottom and have taken them deeper while trolling, although the trolling fish were likely suspended and who knows.....In certain waters, at certain times of year, they'll go deeper than you'd expect and sometimes they'll likely all deeper than 98% of the guys are fishing, smallies at least, not green bass (don't know that I've ever caught a green fish deeper than 28 or 30 feet).

 

[TnRiver46]

I forgot to mention that a lot of guys fishing damiki get them 70-80 feet deep in winter. The water temp is the same top to bottom in the highland reservoirs that time of year. 

[zeth]

112' Lake Washington. Off a Deep Hump. Fish suspended about 1' off bottom or so. Dropshot a 4"  roboworm. Took an entire minute to reach bottom with 1/2 oz weight. 

[CarlF]

On 10/7/2019 at 10:39 PM, zeth said:

112' Lake Washington. Off a Deep Hump. Fish suspended about 1' off bottom or so. Dropshot a 4"  roboworm. Took an entire minute to reach bottom with 1/2 oz weight. 

wow, talk about testing your patience. I have been trying to fish deeper waters in my home lakes (100+) but i struggle with the wait

[zeth]

On 10/31/2019 at 12:03 PM, CarlF said:

wow, talk about testing your patience. I have been trying to fish deeper waters in my home lakes (100+) but i struggle with the wait

it's not worth the trouble. I just got curious one day. the fish will most assuredly die if you catch them that deep.

[webertime]

Personally: 58ft on Champlain and St Lawrence.

Close Friends got a school in 74ft on Champlain.  

Deepest I've seen/hear of:  several in the 100-120ft range annually from Laker jiggers.

 

[Jermination]

ran into these friday afternoon, boat was sitting in 75 ft of water on a couple. they came from 25-28 range though

[scaleface]

30 foot .