Smallmouth bass are rarely predictable — except during the prespawn. Their yearly spawning ritual is the culmination of rising water temperatures, a full moon arriving, and positioning in key areas near spawning habitat that make the event seamless. Figure out their mood and where they’re heading, and it’s game on.
Mike McClelland grew up chasing smallmouth with his grandfather, uncle and dad, which helped educate him about this species’ mannerisms. On the White River Chain of Ozark Mountain lakes, Table Rock, Bull Shoals and Beaver, once the water temps hit 52 to 53 degrees, smallmouth station in their prespawn locations, barring a nasty cold front that could stall everything. Sure, they’ll bite in colder water temps, but not like during the prespawn.
McClelland refers to the Fishing and Hunting Solunar Charts and iSolunar app several times daily, and he’s emphatic about the influence of moon phases. “If the water temperature isn’t right, but the moon is coming and the water temps are rising, we get a good flood of fish that move shallow whether they’re ready to spawn or not,” McClelland explained.
