Hunting Smallmouth and Rock Bass - Topwater action and Clousers.

I went back out to find that dreamy smallmouth I lost before capturing it's picture.  I had that fish in my grasp just for a moment before he shook loose and broke the line.  I had fished Sunday at a different location than Saturday and did fairly well.  The bass were not as active.  Not nearly as active.  Monday, I landed several small bass and took some larger ones.  The bluegills were very picky too.  Maybe it's because the new full moon is over??

I've been wading the same stream time and again.  I think it's time to float or wade a new location.  I did spice it up this spring by hitting some new locations.  The water level of a length of stream I wade has steadily declined over the past few years.  We have been in a drought for a long time.  There was some flooding in the spring.  One of the worst rains - and yet still a drought, lol.  The levee at Lake Bella Vista broke - some ground shifted and the lake flooded over.  The year before, on of the spillways was damaged. The Elk River and Big Sugar were flooded earlier in the year - which is where I do some wading.  The water level was higher last fall.  Since the water levels were higher, there was more current.  And more fallen trees and cover for the fish.  I tore the fish up and slowly, the fallen trees and cover swept away or shifted and the water level diminished.  The bass moved into some other locations and it's been a challenge to find bass.

A few new holes were found and I was able to drift some top water patterns.  Clousers proved effective too but those smallmouth and spotted bass are getting very picky.  They dart out as to strike to fly but stop at the last second.  They also like to watch top water patterns drift inches from their nose.  They strike soft and cough up flies.  It's about that time to wait until fall - unless you are hitting some deep holes.

I missed out on a lot of bass because I don't mend my line went drifting.  I also need to wade more strategically and settle down as not to slap my line on the water.  I still mainly catch small to medium bass but as long as I catch a few big ones every now and then, it makes me feel like I know what I'm doing.