Nighttime Smallmouth

Smallmouth fishing at night is best around a full moon, particularly in April or May in shallow water. Throw crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, buzzbaits and three-bladed buzzbaits in about 4 to 6 feet of water. Also fish points of islands where water’s running over a point. When there’s not a current, fish flats. In other situations, try these helpful tips.

Lipless crankbait: Throw this lure across shallow flats – places you’ll normally fish in the springtime. Smallmouths will be looking for crawfish or minnows, and they’ll swim muchm ore shallow because the sun isn’t bothering them. Use a steady stop-and-go retrieve.
Spinnerbait: Fish the lure using the same technique a Texas-rigged worm, by bottom hopping it off a steep bank. Use 12-pound-test high-impact line. Keep your drag set light, and use a medium/heavy action rod.

Crankbait: Fish a stop-and-go retrieve to resemble a crawfish in 5 feet of water on 10-pound-test line with a cranking rod. Or, fish a watermelon-shad-colored crankbait with pearl and a green back along the edges of the creeks that lead into the main lake – anywhere you can catch a largemouth.