For Smallmouth, Find Rocks

• Crayfish are one of the primary forage items of smallmouth bass. Since crayfish often are found around rocks, that is the place to begin searching for smallmouth bass. Rocks that are close to--or extend into--deep water are best. The smallmouths will feed over the shallow rocks early and late in the day under low-light conditions and then slide into deep water when the sun is out.
  
  Cast 3/8-oz. yellow spinnerbaits and retrieve them quickly over rocks. If there are smallmouth bass in the area, you will know shortly. Once you have located an area that holds smallmouths, tie on a 1/4-oz. jig and a plastic trailer shaped like a crayfish. Retrieve the jig over the rocks, as if imitating a crayfish.
  
  

Topwaters for Both

• Both largemouth and smallmouth bass have an affinity for topwater baits. Perhaps more than any other species, largemouth and smallmouth bass are quite willing to hit a lure that is retrieved on the surface of the water. The best times to use topwaters are when bass are in the shallows around cover like vegetation and rocks, and under low-light conditions. Poppers work well for both species; buzzbaits do too, but tend to be more effective for largemouth bass. Something to keep in mind: When you are throwing a topwater bait, a bass often will hit the bait without getting hooked. Instead of casting the topwater again, instead throw a plastic worm into the area where the fish hit.
  
  

Boat Docks a Lure

• Many lakes have homes along the shoreline. Many people who live on lakes, rivers or reservoirs also put out a boat dock. Bass, especially largemouths, love this kind of shallow cover. The best docks are near deep water and have a complex structure. When the sky is overcast, bass will head to the edges of the dock to feed. Otherwise, they tend to stay far underneath docks, where they rest in the cooler water and wait to ambush prey.
  
  Tie a tube jig on to a spinning rod and reel and skip the tube as far underneath the docks as you can. While many anglers fish docks, few get far underneath them. As a result, those bass are less pressured and more likely to eat your bait.
  
  

Less is More

• Bass anglers who target big bass of both species often use large lures. Their thinking is that big bass are likely to eat bigger meals. And they are correct. But big baits often mean fewer overall fish caught. So the angler who wants to catch a bunch of bass, but also have a chance at catching a big bass, should tie on smaller lures.
  
  One of the best: Jigworms that weigh 1/8- to 1/4-oz. Jigworms consist of mushroom-head jigs and 4- to 7-inch worms, which are threaded onto the shank of the jig. Casting jigworms around weed edges and drop-offs will trigger bass of any size to bite. Begin by bumping the lure along the bottom. If that does not work, or the fish seem more active, let the jigworm sink to the bottom, then retrieve it steadily so it stays about 12 inches off the bottom.