nightfishing the river for smallmouth

can it be done in the summer?  I've only ever caught sm in a warm water ravine in the winter at night. and even then sometimes they were sleepy and unresponsive.

but as you can see from my last post, I'm not catching anything.  which is making me cranky.
and I'm just wondering if its worth trying to tease smallmouth into biting this time of year (and how would I do it).  fishing during the day is not an option

Absolutely!! Between catfishing and smallie action on the top the summer can be a lot of fun on the river at night. Try throwing poppers, buzzers, and jitterbugs. I found to have my best luck from about 15 minutes before dark until roughly an hour after. Good Luck!

do they come into the shallows? or do you still find them out in the current??

I'm going to give it a shot.
Jason

I don't what river you are fishing or how deep it is, but down on the Yough, bring a lantern or wear a head light and you will catch smallmouths at night not matter what bait you are using, now not sure if this will work for you up there. Down here the light at night is an attractor for them.
 
71

Watch out for those bats Doug......