Smallmouth Bass Fishing In Canada – Great Tips For Smallmouth Bass Fishers
The Smallmouth bass are found from Ontario’s Great Lakes shoals to scenic, glacial lakes of the Canadian Shield and in thousands of rivers, creeks, and lakes in between. Smallmouth are mainly in warmer water bodies with shallow cover, whether it be weeds and wood or rocky outcrops. In lakes with varied habitat, smallmouth territory overlaps with that of smallmouth bass, making for diverse angling action.
Smallmouth bass are usually in more open water, where you can use light to medium-action 6- to 7-foot spinning rods and 6- to 10-pound-test lines. Fly-rodders also find these smallmouth bass eager to take top-water poppers or minnow-shaped streamers when the fish are in relatively shallow water. In summer, deep underwater points, rocky shoals, submerged islands, and weed edges are the places to catch these hard-fighting, tail-walking fish. Soft-plastic twister-tail, tube, and shad jig bodies on 1/8- to 3/8-ounce heads are the most common smallmouth bass lures. Good jig colors are black, smoke, purple, amber, yellow, and white. Bounce jigs along bottom, while retrieving or drifting with the wind over potential hotspots. One trick is to allow a tube jig to settle on bottom, then release 20 to 40 yards (18 to 36 m) of line. As the boat drifts, nudge the bait along, as you feel for a strike. This technique is particularly useful in clear, deep water for spooky smallmouth bass. Smallmouth bass are particularly fond of crayfish, especially soft-shells that have just mounted.
Smallmouth tactics that work elsewhere are also effective in Ontario. Fishing varies from flip-and-pitch techniques around shallow, matted weeds, docks, and stumps, to exciting top-water action on jerk baits, poppers, and floating plastic worms. Crawling spinner baits or retrieving shallow-running crank baits along sub-merged weed patches also pay off. Bass of both species in deeper water can be taken with diving crank baits, Carolina-rigged soft-plastic baits, and jigs. Although some southern lakes or rivers are turbid, clear water is normal in Ontario. Bait casting tackle spooled with 12- to 20-pound line is ideal around heavy cover for smallmouth in stained waters. Light spinning tackle, though, is often necessary to fool smallmouths in clear water on sunny days. In these conditions, thin, yet strong, braided or fused line and small plastic worms, grubs, or jigs can jump-start the action, while allowing you to handle fish around cover. Live bait is effective for both species. Leeches, minnows, and juicy nightcrawlers rigged beneath a float or with split-shot on the bottom will draw strikes.
Start of Spring
Smallmouth bass bass love rock and spend more than ninety percent of their time on this hard structure. Post-spawn smallmouth will remain close to shallow rocky areas of the lake until the temperature of the water warms considerably. Islands, points and shoals are the three preferred spots to begin your smallmouth bass search, starting each area up shallow and moving deeper until you connect with fish. Topwater plugs, crankbaits and jigs are the preferred baits early in the season and “matching the hatch” by using crayfish coloured is a sure-bet to entice fish into the boat.
Comes Summer
Summer fishing can often be a “hit and miss” attempt due to whereabouts of the fish during this time. Early morning and evening periods will usually find fish in shallow water aggressively feeding – this is were topwaters really excel and will lead to heart-stopping explosions on the surface. Daytime smallmouth will retreat to the safety of deeper water and will relate to depths from six to thirty-feet deep. The one thing they will relate to is structure, and having a dependable fish finder on board will become your underwater eyes. Look for humps, shelves and drop offs and work a jig over these underwater magnets. Due to the schooling nature of the smallmouth bass bass, once one is caught, there are sure to be more to come.
And In Fall
The fall time means one thing to a bass angler – BIG smallmouth. Fish at this time of year gorge themselves on crayfish and minnows in anticipation of the cold winter months. Searching for these hungry fish is the key to catching them, and concentrating on some of the spots you had success on earlier in the season will help you unlock the location factor. Points, saddles and shoals will hold smallmouth at this time of the year, however, the school will be situated farther from shore and in deeper water in comparison to their summer counterparts. Begin your search by finding water in the 20-foot depth and continue working until you hit 35 feet. Most of your fall fish will relate to water this deep and once you catch some, the remainder of the lakes’ fish will be holding at this magical depth. Rattle traps, cranks and jigs are the artillery for the fall enthusiast, and using a marker buoy to stay with the school and at the optimum depth will increase your chances of connecting. Locating and catching smallmouth is a real challenge.
About the Author
Abhishek is an avid Bass Fishing enthusiast and he has got some great Bass Fishing Secrets up his sleeve! Download his FREE 135 Pages Ebook, “How To Become A Bass Fishing Pro!” from his website http://www.Fishing-Masters.com/88/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.
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