Locating Hot Weather Smallies in Iowa

Locating Hot Weather Smallies in Iowa

By Todd Reed

The tug on the line and in the next instance a miraculous jump above the water…smallmouth bass.  This is always the first image in my mind when someone says smallmouth bass. They are no doubt the most exciting fish that swims in our waters of Iowa.  They are known for the jumps, dives, long runs and huge topwater blasts. All of these reasons make them a favorable fish to chase after all over the state.  Spring and Fall smallmouth bass act very similar, but in the hot days of summer when water temperatures climb over the eighty-degree mark they act very different.  I hope these tips and baits will make your summer days of smallmouth bass fishing some the best you have ever had.

The most abundant areas to start looking for summertime smallmouth bass isn’t very far from where you live.  The many interior rivers of the state hold very good populations of smallmouth bass, and some pretty good sized ones too.  The best thing to do is to take a look at the rivers in your area, grab a Sportsman Atlas and find those areas that have public access.  Whether you are on shore or in a small boat, you can catch smallies not far from where you are located. Smaller rivers offer smallmouth bass their favorite food, crawfish.  Typically in smaller rivers the diet of a smallmouth bass will almost entirely be made up of crawfish, minnows make up the rest of the diet when available. Crawdads spend their lives in two basic areas of rivers, tucked into rocky shorelines and/or buried in the muddy banks.   These areas are great to look for summertime smallies, most likely you will find both of these main shoreline structures along the swiftest of water flow. This may not be the typical place you would look, but it should be during the hot days of summer. You simply cannot fish too much current when looking for small river smallmouth bass.

Now that we have the location of where these smallies will be spending their August days, what can we throw at them to entice some bites?  We need to go back to their food source, the crawdad. Nothing imitates a fleeing crawdad better than a crankbait. These baits dig down into the rocks, rattle their way past fallen trees, and are irresistible for smallies waiting in the current.  Another great bait to use is a small jig with a chunk trailer. This bait can move much more slowly along the rocks and muddy banks while looking like the next meal for a smallmouth. Depending on current weather patterns the fish may want something faster or slower, having a few crankbaits and jigs is always a great start to building your small river tackle box.

The Mighty Mississippi River is the king of kings when it comes to river systems in the United States.  We are so fortunate to live a few hours away from it, especially those that live in the Northeast portion of the state.  Pools 9, 10, and 11 have great populations of smallmouth bass. Fishing from a boat is almost mandatory when chasing these fish down, as shoreline access is limited and treacherous.  Most people think of wing dams and the main channel when they hear of Mississippi River smallies, but I have done much better just a little ways off of the main channel. All the above mentioned areas are top locations for smallmouth bass, however it seems like getting back in the sloughs that have a lot of current is where many smallies hideout during the hot summer months.  Main channel rocks and wingdams offer the hard rocky shoreline and structure, a definite magnet for smallmouth bass. However the current and weedlines in the sloughs, which at times may have heavier current than the main channel, offer the smallmouth bass a perfect feeding situation as well. Where there is current there are smallmouth and again, there is no such thing as too much current for a smallmouth bass.  What makes the Mississippi a never-ending puzzle is the fluctuating water levels. When the water goes up and down so does the current in the sloughs off the main channel. Each day is a new adventure on the Ol’ Mississippi. At the Mississippi River smallies have the usual crawdads and minnows, but they also have another food they target, shad. Shad can be found all over the big river and schools of smallmouth bass will feed on them like sharks.
Top baits for Mississippi River smallmouth cannot be limited like in the small rivers.  These fish can be very picky and often you must try five or six different baits to get the smallies to hit.  Some of the more consistent baits include; spinnerbaits, Texas-Rigged Tubes, stick baits, crankbaits, swimjigs, and topwater poppers.  I know, that is a lot to choose from, and it is. Experimentation is key when searching for smallies on the big river. If you are confident there are smallies in the area you must throw your best of everything at them, something will look just right to them and they won’t be able to resist it.

Last but certainly not least are the Okoboji and Spirit Lakes of Northwestern Iowa.  Huge smallmouth bass live here and can be predictable when the weather is at its hottest.  During this time of the year when the water temperatures are at their peak, smallies will tend to spend most of their time in certain locations.  Shaded docks near deeper water, weedlines, and rocky points are all good places to start. Don’t get me wrong, these two lakes are very different from each other, but the structures the smallmouth have are similar.  Weed lines, rocky areas and plenty of docks exist on both bodies of water, the huge difference is the water depth. Summer months on Okoboji will have you fishing deeper than 10 feet of water the entire day, while at Spirit Lake docks and weedlines in four or five feet water will hold smallmouth bass.  In each lake, when you can combine any two of the main features, for example a deeper weedline and shaded docks at Okoboji Lake, this can be magical. Long rocky points that have weeds nearby is another example. All of the features on these two natural lakes have to do with crawdads and minnows/baitfish.  The bait will be using these areas, and in turn the smallies will be nearby to grab their prey throughout the day. Okoboji is a very clear water system, using natural browns, green pumpkins and minnow colored baits will be the safest bets. One bait in particular I would always have tied on at these two lakes would be a popping bait.  Smallmouth love these baits and especially here on Okoboji Lake. Throw them as far as you can and the smallmouth will find them…and crush them! It is a very exciting way to find and catch smallies in the hottest of weather.

When the weather is hot…the smallmouth fishing is hot, that is something I have learned from the nearly 25 years of chasing them around the state.  Dress appropriately, take plenty of water and select just the right baits to have some fantastic summer time fishing.