Some anglers struggle with how to catch summer smallmouth. In the summer is when the bass is the most aggressive and is easier to catch. You should be catching bass unless the tactics are wrong for the situation. Smallmouths will react to environmental conditions. You need to understand the behavior that allows you to find the fish.

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A smallmouth is aggressive in the summer. You need to use lures that are enticing to an aggressive fish. A few people rely on finesse lures all the time. These are a poor choice for smallmouth in the summer most of the time. Yet there are times you do need the finesse tactics.
Where and When to Fish for Smallmouth
Smallmouth prefers areas with gravel or rocky bottoms. Weed lines along rocky areas are good if other larger fish are not present. Rivers and streams tend to have better habitats for smallmouth bass. A few lakes and reservoirs will have smallmouth if the water quality and oxygen content are good. These tend to be waterways with little decaying matter on the bottom.
In the summer, smallmouth will hold in deeper water during the day. Predatory fish prefer the evenings and mornings since the light levels are lower. It makes it harder for the prey to see them. The sun lower in the sky allows the majority of the sunlight to reflect up away from the water. Fish move into the shallows during lower light periods. Overcast skies have the same effect.
Find spots with deep water holes close to points, ledges, and other structural and cover elements. You need to understand structure and cover to catch smallmouth in the summer. The structure and cover affect the lure choices also.
Best Lures to Catch Summer Smallmouth
Almost any lure catches smallmouth bass. You want to use the one best for every situation. Every place you fish will have a different structure and cover to some degree. There are lures that work better ]in the different habitats. This is how you can increase your success in the summer. All lures work, so choose the lure best for the situation.
Catch Smallmouth in the Summer with Reaction Lures
In early summer the fish are finishing the spawn. Some fish will be finicky and others aggressive. All-around lures are jerkbaits or swimbaits this time of the year. Each of the lures can cover a lot of water. In the shallower water try a jerkbait using an erratic movement. You want to jerk and rip on the lure. Make it look like a thrashing fish on its last death throes. Use the swimbaits in the deeper water with twitches and slight pauses to get some erratic motion.
In areas with snags, highly effective lures are spinnerbaits or beetle spins. The upturned hook reduces getting hung up. In warmer water, the larger spinnerbaits do well. In water slightly cooler use a small spinnerbait or beetle spin. Carry a few sizes in your favorite colors.
Crankbaits work well in deeper water with rocky bottoms also. Work the lures making them glance off the rocks. That is when a fish strikes most of the time.
Topwater lures will produce in shallows as the summer proceeds. These are effective when the water gets close to 68 degrees. Areas with insect activity or other surface action are the time to throw a topwater. Smallmouth are curious and will check out the surface activity in warmer waters. In the evening is the best time for topwater, but the morning is good also.
Using Finesse Lures
In deeper water or areas with a lot of pressure, the use of soft plastics is needed at times. Using a dropshot, Ned rig, Wacky rig, or tube jig may be the better choice. These are secondary options in the summer for bass. When the faster lures fail to produce go with the soft plastics. Try various retrieve speeds and actions to find what the finicky fish want to strike.
Conclusions
Catching bass in the summer is easier when using the correct techniques. Learn the behavior and habitat of smallmouth, it is different from largemouth. Know where the structure and cover are on the waters you fish. Choose a lure based on the conditions including depth and cover.