Smallmouth bass will definitely be found around wood, however, rocks are usually your best bet for targeting smallies on most waters. Just like with weeds, the best wood areas that hold smallmouth also have a hard bottom with a boulder or some rocks. When you’re looking for good wood areas that will hold smallmouth, try to find wood that offers lots of protection overhead, a hard bottom, deep water nearby and the more tree limbs that go in the water the better.
Fish the Laydowns in Spring
You may be able to catch bass all year around the docks, but the spring time is very tough to beat. This is the time of year where you will find smallmouth bass all around the docks in shallower water as long as there is some sand and rock bottom there. These are great spots for them to spawn.
Fish the Deeper Wood From Summer through Fall
In summer and fall, the deeper docks may still hold some smallmouth bass. Make sure to fish the part of the dock that has the most shade as well. You can often find smallmouth bass in these spots. It may only be a fish or two, but it’s a productive pattern if you are fishing a lake with a lot of docks.
Break Out the Jigs
Jigs work great around wood. Flippin’ or pitchin’ a jig will help you get in the tough spots.
