Smallmouth bass absolutely love rocks and boulders. They spend more time along rocks and boulders than any other type of cover. These areas provide plenty of food such as insects, bait fish and especially crayfish.
Shallow Water Rocks Hold a Lot of Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass love the shallow water rocks early in the year. Anglers catch smallmouth bass all over the midwest and up north in just 3 to 6 feet of water when water temperatures are in the upper 50s to mid 60s.
When water temperatures are warmer, smallmouth bass are usually found much deeper. However, you can still catch a lot of smallmouth bass super shallow around the rocks early in the morning, late in the evening or at night. This bite may only last an hour or less when water temperatures are warm, so make sure to hit these spots in low light conditions.
Deeper Rocks are Awesome All Year
Even when smallmouth bass move into the shallows to spawn, there are always some fish in deeper water since they don’t all spawn at the same time. Whether you are targeting bass pre-spawn, post-spawn or from summer through fall, there will always be some smallmouth bass around the deeper rocks. The depth may vary based on the water temperatures and water clarity, however, expect to find bass from 8 feet to 30 feet around the rocks.
Bigger Boulders Usually Hold More or Better Quality Bass
Bigger boulders are almost always better for holding more bass and/or bigger bass. Some anglers swear that their biggest smallmouth bass are caught by the biggest boulders. There are some rocks and boulders that are huge and these spots provide lots of cover, shade and a better ambush point for targeting food.
Isolated Rocks Can be Very Productive
At times, you can do very well by targeting isolated rocks. Anglers usually report that the bigger the rocks the better and it is usually true when fishing isolated rocks. Find these spots with your eyes when fishing the shallows in the clear water or use your electronics to help you find these spots to fish.
