Smallmouth Bass Behaviors: Post Spawn

Want to be a better angler? Understanding Smallmouth behavioral characteristics and how they change during the year is one area that will do just that!

Well its post Memorial Day week. The lakes and many rivers have been pounded with the first major rush of human traffic but what is actually happening with our Smallmouth now and moving forward now that the spawn for many has been completed?

🐟Where will the Smallmouth go now?

✨What will be their behavorial change?

🎣How can we target Smallmouth during this time frame?

Behavior and Water Preferences of Smallmouth Bass in the Post-Spawn Period

Biology and Metabolic Rates

Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) aka Smallies are known for their preference for clear, cool, and moderately flowing waters. Their behavior and habitat preferences change throughout the year, particularly during and after the spawning season especially if like this season they witnessed rising and ultimately dirty water during the traditional spawning period of water temperatures.

Metabolic Rates: Post-spawn, Smallies will experience a period of recovery. Spawning naturally is a metabolically demanding process, during which they often expend significant energy. Energy they stored up in the initial “feed up” late winter and early Spring as the spawning process getting ready for the spawn.

After the actual spawn, their metabolic rates remain relatively high initially, as they need to replenish their energy reserves. During this period, most will increase their feeding activity to recover from the energy deficit incurred during spawning. Smallies will undertake a broader move as well relatively compared to Largemouth. See article here:

Post-Spawn Behavior- We are Parents Now What?

I liken this period to any of us to that first time we became new parents. Think back to the post delivery period of your first child especially for that of the mother of your child. All the effort and energy to deliver has been exhausted and now the recovery begins. For some the recovery period is swift while for others it may take quite a few days or even weeks really depending upon the delivery.

Now most of us have not considered this kind of analysis when it comes to fish but instinctively many of the things are relatively the same. The males are exhausted from guarding if not utterly frustrated by the end of spawn. Male Smallies are like thoroughbred horses and meant to run and after being instinctively forced to remain isolated to an area clearly does not sit well with them if you have ever run into them on the river during spawn.

1. Feeding: Post-spawn, Smallmouth exhibit increased feeding behavior to restore their energy levels. They primarily target prey that is abundant and EASY to catch, such as crayfish, small fish, and insects. This aggressive feeding behavior during this period makes them more susceptible to being caught by anglers of any level in all honesty.

2. Habitat Selection: In the post-spawn period, Smallmouth move to habitats that provide ample feeding opportunities and suitable environmental conditions. These areas typically have:

   • Moderate to Slow Currents: They prefer areas where the water flow is not too strong, which allows them to conserve energy while feeding.

   • Structure and Cover: Submerged rocks, ledges, vegetation, and woody debris offer protection from predators and serve as ambush points for catching prey.

   • Depth and Temperature: They often move to deeper waters with slightly cooler temperatures compared to the shallow spawning grounds. Preferred temperatures range from 15°C to 22°C (59°F to 72°F).

     There are two main things to consider here when looking for areas in the river system that either Smallies are sitting or Smallies will move to depending upon the time frame of the spawn and where your river system is on the day you are fishing. Smallies want cleaner water providing them with crucial oxygen flows AND nearby easily obtained forage species that they can consume with moderate to little effort as they rebuild energy stores.

     ✨This is why there is always a window where Smallies will NOT chase that lucky Chatterbait and FINESSE is KING!

Movement in River Systems- where did they go?

It always happens. It never fails. That area that have been holding Smallies you return to and all the bass are gone.

In river systems, the movement of Smallmouth post-spawn can be characterized by several key behaviors:

1. Upstream and Downstream Movement: Smallmouth may move both upstream and downstream in search of optimal feeding and resting habitats. They generally prefer sections of the river with stable conditions, avoiding areas with extreme fluctuations in water levels and flow.

2. Seasonal Migration: Post-spawn movements can be part of a broader seasonal migration pattern. In spring, they move from deeper wintering areas to shallower spawning sites, and post-spawn, they transition to intermediate habitats before settling into summer patterns. ✨ Mine will move middle river especially if you have wider areas or flats in your river like an Upper Potomac or a Susquehanna River.

3. Territorial Behavior: After the spawning period, males, who were more territorial during the spawn, become less isolated and will roam more and will seek areas where they can find food and cover efficiently. They re-establish feeding territories in locations that offer abundant prey and protection.

4. Environmental Cues: Factors such as water temperature, flow rate, and photoperiod influence their movements. For example, rising water temperatures and stable flow rates can trigger movement towards feeding areas and ultimately a better bite.

   I recently had a few competitive anglers reach out to me about fishing this time frame as they were preparing for an event on my home river and after watching some of my You Tube videos on the river in my River Breakdowns they wanted to understand where the Smallies might be in mid May.

✨My message was simple.

Find cleaner water. Find oxygen filled water- ie. current flow with quality seams AND locate forage! I have found that Smallies in my river will move against the current up river if there is a dam or some naturally formed structure like an established rock ledge OR if you have identified structure like trees that have been washed down river by high water that have become log jammed these are areas to start first and work your way back to where they spawned.

Post-spawn Smallmouth Bass exhibit a set of behaviors driven by the need to recover from the energetic demands of spawning. They increase their feeding activity, moving to areas with favorable conditions, such as moderate currents, ample cover, and optimal temperatures.

Troy Wines of Lynchburg, Va is a well known regional Smallmouth stick who in 2024 is on his “Quest for 30” Virginia Citation Smallmouth. In 2023, Troy caught 29 citation Smallmouth from Virginia river systems and recently told me that this is his favorite time to chase Smallies throughout Virginia.

In river systems, they display both upstream and downstream movements in search of stable habitats that provide adequate food and protection. Understanding these behaviors and preferences is crucial for effective conservation and management of Smallmouth populations, as well as for improving angling strategies to increase catch rates.

Post-Spawn Migration and Behavior of Smallmouth Bass in River Systems

Post-Spawn Migration- where are they heading…..

After spawning on their nests during the spring, Smallmouth exhibit specific migration patterns and behavior changes as they “transition” into the summer months.

Their movements are primarily influenced by the need to recover from the spawning process as expressed above and to find suitable habitats that offer optimal conditions for feeding and protection for weeks ahead.

One issue beset Smallies in our region is right about this time they need to find new areas and forage is the fact that typically we begin to see water levels in most river systems fall. In 2023 we had a heck of a time this time last year with rivers with sustained two feet or less conditions. As anglers this creates many issues not only with targeting locations but also spooking all the Smallies to begin with.

1. Transition to Feeding Areas:

• Initial Movement: Following the spawn, Smallmouth typically leave the shallow, protected spawning areas. They migrate to slightly deeper waters, which offer a more stable environment with better access to food. This is not unlike the Fall transition in many respects where they locate deeper pools for winter to settle into.

• Moderate Depths: They often move to depths ranging from 6 to 15 feet, where water temperatures are cooler and more stable compared to the shallow spawning beds. That being said many river systems in our region may never see this kind of depth except in high water events so anglers must understand that any “deeper” break in the water is an opportunity whether a depression or back side of a ledge which can usually offer at least moderately more depth than the norm in the river.

• Current Preferences: In river systems, they prefer areas with moderate to slow currents, such as eddies, pools, and runs that provide a mix of current and slack water.

  ⭐ Important: Undertanding your river topography both above the water and below will set you apart from your peers on the water. Identifying mountain ranges and rolling hills and valleys that our rivers meander through and observing how these relate to the bank will clue you in on the river composition especially the formation of rock lines and ledges in the river that will hold Smallies. The New River is a perfect example of this and why it holds so many quality Smallmouth in the stretches where we see the river begin decent to lower elevations.

2. Habitat Selection:

• Cover and Structure: Post-spawn Smallmouth seek out habitats with abundant cover and structure, such as submerged rocks, boulders, woody debris, and aquatic vegetation. These structures offer protection from predators and serve as excellent ambush points for feeding.

• Foraging Areas: They move to areas where prey is plentiful. This includes locations with high concentrations of crayfish, small fish, and insects, which are their primary food sources during this period.

  ⭐ Understanding your forage species and their own phases of development and water preferences will key you in on where the smallies will be set up nearby. Some forage prefer colder water while others like warmer and dirtier water.

Behavioral Changes Leading into Summer

1. Increased Feeding Activity:

• Energy Recovery: Immediately after spawning, Smallmouth exhibit increased feeding activity. This period is critical for energy recovery as they need to replenish the reserves spent during the spawning process.

• Aggressive Feeding: Their feeding behavior becomes more aggressive, and they are more opportunistic in their prey choices. This makes them more active during the day, especially during early morning and late afternoon when prey is most abundant.

  I liken this to us at the gym right?

  We have to exert some energy to get bigger or stronger right?

2. Movement Patterns:

• Daily Movements: Smallmouth show daily movement patterns within their selected habitats. They may move between deeper resting areas during the day and shallower feeding areas during dawn and dusk.

• Territory Establishment: As summer approaches, they establish more defined territories within these habitats. These territories are often centered around prime feeding and resting spots.

One caveat here guys. These areas are dramatically effected by high water events or even lower than normal events on the river. It is not uncommon for them to be moved by either of these conditions which results in a river re set for the Smallmouth which starts the process over entirely for them in terms of movement.

3. Temperature Preferences:

• Optimal Temperatures: Smallmouth prefer water temperatures ranging from 15°C to 22°C (59°F to 72°F). As water temperatures rise in late spring and early summer, they adjust their locations to stay within these optimal ranges.

Caveat—— if you river has dams and the Smallies are used to colder water being pulled from depths and cycled through the river system then the bass will normalize to colder temps in the range. This is why they also spawn in colder water than those rivers that have no dams and often spawn first like the New River spawn before the Potomac River or Middle James River.

• Thermal Refuges: During particularly hot periods, they may seek out thermal refuges, such as deeper pools, shaded areas, or sections of the river with cooler groundwater influx.

  Savvy anglers will have identified these areas during the low water periods of late winter so they know where to visit once the river rises. This strategy is highly effective.

4. Social Behavior:

• Reduced Aggression: Post-spawn, the territorial aggression seen during spawning declines. Males, in particular, become less aggressive towards other bass but also towards other specie within its proximity as they no longer need to guard nests.

• Group Behavior: While Smallmouth are generally accepted as solitary beings, post-spawn feeding can lead to loose group associations, especially in areas with abundant food resources.

  This is one area I have some disagreement with the generally accepted biology. I routinely see “pods” as we would call them if talking about salmon of Smallies in my river roaming together in groups of three to five almost in unison at times.

  Now that being said I have also observed these fish to be generally in the 8-14 inches size almost exclusively. Bigger Smallmouth do seem to be more solitary in their activities especially when roaming the river. Sometimes you see two together of similar size but typically its an isolated thing.

5. Seasonal Transition: less is ever really shared about this “transition”

• Summer Patterns: As they move into summer, Smallmouth settle into more stable, summer-long patterns. They find and remain in habitats that offer a balance of food availability, suitable temperatures, and adequate cover. Their movements become less extensive, focusing on daily and seasonal shifts within a localized area.

  Typically the natural order of things blesses bass if you think about it. As soon as they spawn and enter post spawn and need to feed up other species in the river are beginning their moves for their own spawn thus providing ample opportunity for natural selection and survival to be on full display.

  ⭐ I have seen thus far zero evidence that Snakehead have impacted my Smallmouth. Snakeheads clearly prefer the same areas a Largemouth as opposed to Smallmouth and thus far have not seen any real impact on our smallies during the summer as they tend to like to be closer to or in moving water as opposed to Largemouth.

So……

After spawning in the spring, Smallmouth migrate from shallow nesting sites to deeper, more stable areas within the river system. Their behavior transitions to focus heavily on feeding to recover energy, leading to increased activity and more aggressive feeding. As summer approaches, they establish territories in habitats that provide optimal conditions for feeding, protection, and suitable water temperatures. Understanding these patterns helps in effective fishery management and provides valuable insights for anglers seeking to target Smallmouth during different seasonal phases.

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