Winter Smallmouth Fishing

[dutchman2858]

I'd appreciate some help. My son and I fish Lake Goodwin in Snohomish County quite often during the summer with some success for SMB. During late fall and winter we can't seem to find them.

The lake is very clear with depths to 50 feet in one part of the lake, but the areas we have success in during the summer max out at about 30 feet or so. Will the SM all move toward that deepest water, or can we expect to find them hanging out at the deeper ranges of the summer fishery? My fish finder is an older Garmin 550C that seems to do a pretty good job at reading what's under me. We've located giant schools of small perch the last couple of times we were out, but didn't have any success fishing around, over and under them. If the fish are deep enough that barotrauma is a risk, we won't fish them.

Since the LMB are kicking my butt I decided to put some more effort into Smallies for awhile Any suggestions for locating where they might be hanging out? Thanks!

[Amx]

Fish the 40 to 50 foot depths right now. I caught them in 35/40 and 43 foot depths this past week. Slow, dropshot. Carolina rig and jigs will work also. Lots of dead sticking, and some slow dragging retrieves. Slow drag a swim bait on the bottom. On your depth finder watch for the short lines just above the bottom.

[Amx]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT1XEqeL5rg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotatio ... e9LkMgTQwc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nqzxzhM5Lg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5oX-U3fvok

[dutchman2858]

Thanks, Tom. I checked out the vids and picked up some good info. I'm inclined to take non-PNW bass fishing videos and tips with a grain of salt since so much of which people swear by elsewhere doesn't seem to apply here. The links also reminded me to check YouTube for PNW SMB info and I found the NWFR video by Mike Carey of fishing with Dez and Mark Maderos for winter SMB on Lake Washington as well as one for Lake Coeur d'alene. I found these full of great tips.

[Amx]

Just remember, bass are bass, they'll eat the same way regardless of where in the country they are, at any given water temp, and time of year. The best lure to try is the one that represents that forage in the lake you are fishing, but drop shot is drop shot, jig is jig, maybe the colors will be different, even the size, but the technique will be the same. Yes check out the vids here on NWFR and see what they are using, and how. Such as the Lake Chelan Bass fishing vid. And it's great to watch other vids if only for entertainment, and maybe techniques/lures that aren't being used here, and try them.

[tbrinks]

For me, the smallmouth have been really deep lately. Like 40-50 feet and blade baits have been the best bet. Look for humps or long sloping points. I've never fished Goodwin, but this long point that comes out looks promising, as does the other side of it (lower right of sceen) as it drops to deeper water.

[Amx]

Tyler Brinks has some great info-webinars, and vids. Give these a watch;

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... ylerbrinks

https://www.youtube.com/user/tylerbrinksfishing

[dutchman2858]

Thanks, Guys, lots of good info to try. Going to grab the break in the weather tomorrow and go drag a few things through the waters of Goodwin. Arsenal as it sits now: Spinning rod with drop shot, baitcasters: Carolina rigged hula grub, football head jig, and a blade bait. Good or bad, I'll report back on how the day goes.

[Amx]

Good luck. I'm thinking of going to Sammamish. Ya might even try a large crawfish, or a hulagrub, on a 3/4 oz bare/non skirted football head jig. I've got to find my big jigs.

[fishingmachine]

Here is an article I wrote the other day about the exact topic although it focuses on lake Washington and lake Sammamish which in my opinion give you a way better chance at a winter smallmouth!!

http://3riversmarine.com/winter-smallmo ... s-fishing/

[dutchman2858]

Great stuff, Austin! I’ll give those lakes and techniques a try.

[dutchman2858]

I posted a follow-up a few days ago but it disappeared somewhere. In short, we couldn't find anything. We spent some time looking for bait without success. We started with deep water around points, then moved to the deepest water in the lake and spent some time there. We fished steep banks and flats. Tubes, dropshot, jigs, hula grubs and cranks resulted in "maybe" a couple of soft bites. Water temp was 46, airtemp a bit cooler.

[Amx]

I never made it to Sammamish. The radar showed that it was raining most of the day. This week it's suppose to be clear, but COLD.