scof21_

When water temperatures
start averaging
65°F, the fish will move
to their winter holding
lies and slow their
roll. The days of quick
strips, aggressive surface
strikes and fast
fishing are over. If you
want to catch smallmouth
in the colder
months of the year,
you’ll have to go low
and slow. The easiest
method is to drop
a crayfish or jig pattern
underneath an indicator.
Finding the right
depth is key here. You
want your fly on the
bottom. Adjust your
indicator accordingly.
When a smallmouth
bass finds a holding lye
that suits all its needs
at the time, the fish will
stay there until something
forces it to move,
perhaps a predator or
conditions. Have I rented
scuba gear and sat
at the bottom of my favorite
smallmouth bass
river yet? No. There are
tires and musky and
rusty ‘57 Chevy bumpers
down there.
To my knowledge,
there is not one single
formula that will catch
fish consistently in all
conditions. Fish adapt
to their environment. If
we want to catch them,
we have to adapt as
well. The more knowledge
you have, the
more you have to draw
from when strategizing.
The more numbers
you have, the more
common denominators
you’ll have. When the
fishing gets tough, a
new strategy is necessary.
To strategize is to
observe, is to problem
solve, is to adapt.
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S.C.O.F MAGAZINE