Smallmouth resivoir Question

[Will3369]

Fishing Smallmouth in the PNW or N Michigan, I have always found Smallmouth on the deep side of the first weed bed from spawning flats after spawn. I currently fish a resivoir and am told the are no weeds. My question being with no weeds where do Smallies go on weedless resivoirs after spawning?

[TnRiver46]

They don’t necessarily have to go anywhere, they can spawn where they live 

[Will3369]

I have always found they leave their spawning flat and head for a little deeper water. Usually 12-14 feet and feed the rest of the summer feeding on bait in the weeds. Last lake, you would catch crappie and bluegills on the shallow side of the weeds, smallies hunting them on the deep side. I have never fished where there is a lul or slow period. From post spawn till fall, anything green pumpkin would catch big smallies in the weeds. And at the current moment they are no where near where I found em in the fall. Today I was told the water temp was 60. For me that means the crankbait bite is over, (usually 50-57 degrees for me). But I haven’t seen or experienced the spring smallie smashing like on other lakes. I have never fished a lake that didn’t have weeds or pads. Gonna need to learn alot of new things fishing in the south. Lol

[TnRiver46]

You still talking Douglas ? My buddy fished a tourney there yesterday and came in 3rd with 3 fish, it’s still in recovery mode and will be for some time. Had the worst flood since they built the dam in October. He did have one nice smallie in his bag 

 

but yeah ain’t no weeds in the water around here. Douglas has some nice SMB but Cherokee has way way way more 

[Will3369]

You know I tried Cherokee on Friday for a couple hours with no luck over in front of the big rip-rap wall by the d**n. I watched a guy this winter catch about 10 in front of me, but he was using live bait. I have only done Cherokee like 3 times. What do you know about louden?

Oh and I was here and fished right after the flood, that was the best fishing I have experienced on douglas was for the three weeks after flood with crankbaits.  

[TnRiver46]

Loudoun/tellico is where I fish but I usually do the river on loudoun. I live near downtown and go upstream 

 

I learned to fish on tellico and have a house on it, been pretty great fishing last several years there 

 

bank fishing is tough round here, I always try to go below a dam for that. 

[Will3369]

Well I live in Dandridge, so Douglas is my closest, I was told to try Loudoun because the draw down isn’t as much as the other resivoir’s. This has just been a huge adjustment going from fishing about 200 days a year, with a third of those being from the bank before or after work. And not being shut out in 2 yrs. To being shut out 3 outta 4 times from the bank on Douglas. Kinda kicks ya right in the pride. Lol. I am looking at a 1999 G3 this week. Hoping I will find much better fishing then from the bank. 

[TnRiver46]

Loudoun/tellico only goes down about 6 feet in winter. Douglas is about 40 ft drawdown, Cherokee 30, Norris 20. 
 

watauga and south Holston are good SMB lakes, with a pair of waders you can do some serious damage on the rivers inbetween. Once summer hits you can just do it in shorts