Smallmouth Bass

[coop]

I'm fishing a lake that has smallmouth in Texas during the summer (Texoma). Pretty deep, fairly clear, lots of striper in the lake. How deep do smallmouth run? Do they move all over, or can you find a school one day and the next day they'll be a mile away? Should I concentrate on the baitfish to find them? Please help.

[Eric]

Coop,

Smallmouth will follow pelagic baitfish during the summer months. Finding smallmouth in open water can be frustrating. Look for bait ***** ( I assume shad are the bait you are refering to ) on your sonar, when you see the depth at what the bait is holding look for structure at those same depths and you should find some smallmouth as well as largemouth. Smallmouth may suspend anywhere in the water column, and mant times they relate to structure differently than largemouth, especially when targeting open water bait fish. They may be relating to a hump but be yards off to the side and feet above it.

[Eric]

I guess bait***** wont work. Look for bait "wads" or a cluster of bait on your sonar.

[johnnie crain outdoors]

Coop, Eric is right, look for bait fish schools. The smallies may be right under them or close by. Smallmouth have a different outlook on life than do largemouth. They usually are more apt to school, are almost always in deeper water and like current in warm water. Smaller baits and lighter lines are the norm. Tube jigs, 3-4 inch slat craws and small crankbaits should catch some fish. Watch that depthfinder for schools of bait fish, drop offs, creek channels and humps, these are smallmouth structure and don't be afraid to cast far from any shoreline, smallies are more bottom oriented than largemouth, they don;t seem to care much for shoreline cover umless it's a weed bed. Good luck with those TExas size smallmouth. Johnnie