Do Smallmouth Bass prefer the same type of cover that the Largemouth Bass prefers?

A better question here is what the temperature is instead of what time of year it is, because smallmouth have no need for calendars and will change their habits based on various factors that affect them (temperature being the key). Smallmouth bass will typically be most active between about 40 degrees and 65 degrees, but even this preference will be overriden by things such as the current and oxygen levels. I have found for artificial lures that a wide variety can work very well for an active smallmouth, including lures such as jerkbait, spinners, hair jigs, tube jigs, drop shot rigs, split-shot rigs, rattle bait, topwater chuggers, blade baits, jigging spoons, and even action tail grubs. The best live bait, in my experienced opinion, is the crawdad or crayfish, which is filet mignon to a smallmouth bass and can be sure to get them biting if nothing else will. Smaller crawdads work best (around 3 inches), but be sure to hook it good and keep it live. Just as important to consider as the bait to use for a smallmouth is the type of cover, and especially in cooler (but not cold) temperatures, the smallmouth will seek out anything with a whole lot of quick action, such as rocks and boulders in the middle of a stream where high currents bring them a constant line of food. The best advice I can give is to check your local baitshop and tell them what you are looking to catch. They will usually try to steer you in the best direction so that you keep coming back, and a lot of great additional advice for specific areas can be procured from experienced fishers that frequent such bait shops.

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