Warmer months make for a great time to get out on a local river and do some fishing.
Many rivers, especially in the summer months allow anglers to really expand their lure selection and have a good time catching fish.
But before we can catch them, we need to find them!
Below we'll break down a 3 step process on how to find and catch smallmouth bass while river fishing to better prepare you for your next fishing trip.
Step 1: Locate Current
Smallmouth bass are very current driven fish.
So, in order to be a successful smallmouth bass angler we have to understand the role that current plays.
Despite this step seeming unnecessary since a river requires current for constant flow, the main focus of this step is locating changes in the current. Changes in current can be the direction the current moves, changes in flow, or even a change in color.
An example of change in flow would be before and after a section of the river with riffles or rapids. This is caused by a gradient (a change in height of the river upstream vs downstream) that increases how fast the water moves along a particular section of the river.
Smallmouth love the hang out in the lower sections of riffles and rapids waiting for smaller forms of bait (minnows, crawfish, hellgrammites, etc.) to be swept downstream.
An example involving a change in direction of the current may be something as simple as a protruding rock in the middle or edge of the river. Thanks to the rock, the river current is being redirected around the rock causing a slight change in direction of the current as it bends around the rock. Smallmouth love to use these areas as ambush points.
A change in the water color is not as common but typically offer really good fishing opportunities. This is most often seen when two branches of a river merge together or a smaller tributary feeds into the main body of a river.
Summer is also the time of the year for flash floods or heavy rain which will impact water color. This little change in color may be what is needed to get the fish fired up.
Smallmouth thrive in all these areas of the river and more times than not, if you find a change in a rivers current you are one step closer to finding the fish.
Step 2: Locate Structure
Once you've located places with changes in current now you can start picking out fishing opportunities based on what you can see. The heat of summer will cause fish to move to areas that give them access to cooler water.
Structure is your friend here. Different from cover, which is something that is placed into a body a water (trees, car tires, docks, etc.), structure is the actual make up of a body of water. This could be a flat, vertical rock bluffs, points, cutbanks, riffles/rapids and so on.
These areas are going to be key holding grounds for smallmouth bass.
Flats are one example of structure that offer a smallmouth a place to move from shallow to deeper water throughout the day.
Early mornings and late evenings you may find a fish in shallower water, whereas mid day, when the temperatures being to rise, the fish may move to deeper waters near a river channel. It is often the case that a flat butts right up against the rivers channel.
Your approach to fishing a flat may vary depending on the time of day.
Vertical rock bluffs are another great holding place for smallmouth. The temperature of large rock bluffs are heavily affected by the ground temperature (~ 58° F). For summertime smallmouth, this means a cool hangout spot to get away from the heat.
Points are an anglers best friend. They are often the most sought after part of a body of water. Points typically provide fish with access to both shallow and deep water as well as act as ambush points for predatory fish. The sharper the break in a point, the better the odds of landing a nice smallmouth bass.
Cutbanks are often found on the opposite side a point and offer moderate to heavy flow of current. Smallmouth will typically hangout around these areas waiting for an easy meal to wash through. Cutbanks are great areas to fish minnow imitations or drift a worm.
Riffles & Rapids
Like mentioned above, smallmouth spend a lot of time around riffles and the rapids that make up a river. These areas provide cool water, an abundance of bait, and changes in current flow, direction, and color throughout the year.
Most sections of a river that include a riffle or rapid will also have a nearby eddy or pool that offers deeper water and/or a change in the direction of the current. Be sure to fish these areas when you see them.
For more information on what a river has to offer check out "River Fishing: Understanding Different Parts of a River"
Step 3: Locate Fish
The easiest way to know you've found fish is to catch them.
Below are two methods for fishing each of the summertime holding areas listed above...
Flats
1. Early morning and late evening hours typically provide from great topwater fishing. If the wind isn't too crazy, consider working a walking bait or popper across a flat
2. Around mid day when it's hot, try fishing a fast moving jerkbait. This is contrary to popular opinion but its something about that fast, erratic action that can get the smallmouth fired up. Concentrate you fishing around the edge of the flat and the channel.
Vertical Rock Bluffs
1. Rig yourself a 3" grub on a jig head and cast right up against the rock face. Try swimming or hopping the lure on the retrieve and don't be surprised if a fish bites it on the initial drop.
2. If the current isn't flowing too fast, consider a dropshot. These are great at keeping the bait in the strike zone for long periods of time.
Points
1. Crankbaits are great around points. If you find a sloping point that allows you to get some contact with the bottom, a crankbait can produce a lot of reaction bites.
2. Another option to consider is a small jig that imitates a crawfish or minnow. Find the middle ground between calmer water and faster moving water near a channel break and you may just find some fish waiting to scoop up an easy meal.
Cutbanks
1. Texas rig yourself a finesse worm and drift it right through the channel and current break that runs along a cutbank. You'll know you have a bite when you feel a TICK or your line starts moving in a different direction.
2. If you notice a shallow cutbank that offers shade consider skipping a wacky rigged worm right up against the bank and giving it a few twitches.
Riffles/Rapids
1. Inline spinnerbaits are great here. Thanks to the shiny blade on the lure, a spinnerbait offers flash that easily grabs the attention of a smallmouth.
2. Around pools and eddies that are a product of riffles/rapids, consider a 3-4" minnow imitation on a jighead. Just hop it through until you get a bite.
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