During the winter months, you’ll most often find big smallmouth on humps, ridges and ledges out close to the river channel. In some areas, the smallmouth may relate more to creeks than to the main river, depending on the history of the lake. At this time of the year, expect to catch the smallmouth in 18 to 20 feet of water, but always consider the clarity and the temperature of the water. A small, 1/4-ounce, black-and-blue or brown jig with a small pork trailer behind is productive for wintertime smallmouth.

Don’t make as long a cast in the winter as you will in the spring and the summer. Wintertime smallmouth are more channel- or ledge-oriented, so you can catch them within no more than 20 yards of the edge of the lip of the break.

For the most success, don't hop your jig off the bottom dramatically; just barely hop it along the bottom. Fish this jig on 10- to 12-pound test line to get the jig down deep quickly and allow it to make tiny hops along the bottom. Keep your rod tip low or put it in the water when you reel in a smallmouth to keep the fish from jumping. If you see your line coming up, indicating that the smallmouth is trying to go airborne, put your rod tip even deeper in the water, and pull the fish sideways to keep it from jumping.

Check your drag before you make that first cast to be sure it’s tight enough to set the hook yet loose enough to pull off drag, if a big smallmouth does start to run. Learning to use the drag system on your reel will help you land the smallmouth. Winter is the right time to catch big smallmouth.