Summer 2022
®
By Jonathan LePera
SSpmi T an H l E lfmo ST r R o ON u G t & h SILENT
T
he only time of the year when
smallmouth bass are predictable is during
the spawn. As smallmouth enter the post-spawn, water temperatures begin to rise and
smallmouth scatter both across shallow flats and
move out deeper, chasing bait and in search of cooler
water.
Smallmouth are annoyingly nomadic by nature
and though they feed, the windows are small and
unpredictable.
Seasoned smallmouth bass guide Frank
DiMarcantonio doesn’t have the luxury of fishing at
peak feeding times. Guiding on Great Lakes Erie and
Ontario, well-known for their smallmouth fisheries
for more than 25 years, has afforded DiMarcantonio a
wealth of experience in smallmouth behavior.
Bluebird skies and flat calm water usually do not bode well for anglers targeting smallmouth.
“During summer, when water is warm, smallmouth fish don’t respond to many presentations unless conditions are perfect,” DiMarcantonio said. “They’ll often wander through the shallows devoid of any interest in chasing live bait.”
The spybait provides the perfect antithesis. Its subtle shimmy as it horizontally swims back to the boat mimics that of an unsuspecting immature baitfish struggling to find its way.
Targeting rocky laden flats, points, and humps in water not deeper than 15-feet, DiMarcantonio fishes a Duo Realis SpinBait 80. When targeting deeper water, the larger 90 excels, especially in windier conditions.
Background photo by Eva Elijas from Pexels
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