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I was told by a friend that has caught alot of big spring time smallies at Anderson that the time to be there was the first two weeks after ice off, he told me exactly where to go and what to use, we headed there yesterday and was skunked big time.
Water temps were between 38 & 40 degrees, is that still just too cold for them to be active?
Anybody know what the ideal water temps should be?
Thanks for any info on this.
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i would say at least 45. i'd like 48 to waste the gas money.
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[quote ilovesmallies]i would say at least 45. i'd like 48 to waste the gas money.[/quote]
+1
Maby the conditions were not ideal for that lure/presentation that day. No offense intended. I'm no expert.
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I am no smallmouth expert, but we have caught them at 46 degrees. It was really difficult and we had to drag our stuff really slow. 48 seems to really pic up the bite.
Remember there are lots of variables that can push the water temps up a couple degrees in certain places such as shallow ledges next to deep water. Areas that receive more sun , and areas that have a dark bottom that heats up a little.
Windriver
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I agree with the above comments. Back about 30-40 years ago when we were first learning to catch big smallmouth out of Brownlee Reservoir we would start in mid-March and crank diving baits across the alluvial fans and gravel bars. As the water temps began warming those big females would move up on those spots. The bigger females always seem to move up before the smaller males. One afternoon we took 2 fish over 5 pounds and one over 6 off one fan.
Just keep going back and trying those spots. The big ones will move up. That's a good friend that would tell you his spots.
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