I think it is worth noting that smallie fishing on erie is best for a 2 month period only.  After that, they scatter all around the lake and they are much harder to get, from my understanding.

River bass don't go anywhere, so they can be caught almost all year long.  Therefore, any productive river, allegheny, french creek, susqy..etc, is a better smallmouth fishery in my opinion.  But then again, I like to fish more than 2 days a year for them...

If you wanna go for just 3 days all year and try to catch a state record, then erie is your bet in late april to early june.

ORIGINAL: hiclassHilbilly

I think it is worth noting that smallie fishing on erie is best for a 2 month period only.  After that, they scatter all around the lake and they are much harder to get, from my understanding.

River bass don't go anywhere, so they can be caught almost all year long.  Therefore, any productive river, allegheny, french creek, susqy..etc, is a better smallmouth fishery in my opinion.  But then again, I like to fish more than 2 days a year for them...

If you wanna go for just 3 days all year and try to catch a state record, then erie is your bet in late april to early june.

I catch 'em any time I go there. They're not that hard to find. Unless you've done it, it is hard to believe how many you can catch there on a day, and how big all of them can be....but there are lots of them, and they are big! I usually go up there for walleye, but I always go for a few smallie hawgs while I'm there. Usually one day for the walleye, and one for the smallmouth. Always do smallmouth the second day, or at the end of the day....your arms will be tired from pulling them in!

I fish the rivers mostly like you do, and catch some big ones here too, but the stories you hear about Erie are mostly true. They are like a whole nutha species of smallmouth up there, and there are LOTS of them in the main lake, and they are not all that finicky about what they'll hit either, as long as you get it down there to them.

Our boat captain weighed most of the fish with a digital scale, he also had a fish counting device that was like an umpires counter.

shenango river has a lot of nice smallies 

ORIGINAL: hiclassHilbilly

so if they are as easy to catch as you say (outside of the spawning season), how do you do it?

I'm very rarely up there during the spawning season. Like I said, I usually go when the walleye herd is there(late July to early October).

They ARE easy to catch...anytime. Find anything at all that is different about the bottom, they'll be there. Jig anything: hair jig, tube, minnow, etc. Drop shot any Senko or whatever kind of plastic imitation thingamabob your heart desires...you'll catch 'em. Carolina rig stuff...you'll catch 'em. Jig a piece of nightcrawler and catch some gobies, then do like above stated...you'll catch 'em.

Tip, most people don't realize 8 lbers are caught EVERY YEAR out of Lake Erie.  You know there is a 10 somewhere in Pa. or Oh.  waters.