For summer smallies, Dan Brozowski says go bright to attract strikes!

The baits I target smallmouth bass with during the heat of the summer easily fall into the walleye realm. Now, I generally stay away from “pigeon-holing” baits into certain-species categories; many baits that somewhat designed with certain species in mind also catch other species. In the case of this article, many of my color choices and suggestions are found on more walleye appropriate baits. But over the years, I’ve found that these baits are successful for smallmouth bass as well.

With bright colors and patterns being the topic of this article, I have no basis, scientifically or biologically, to explain why smallies are so attracted to bright colors. Normally, I promote “matching the hatch” when it comes to bait colors; I generally lean towards more natural and subtle colors, much like the forage smallmouth find in their surroundings. Yet my success with exceptionally brilliant hues and patterns is hard to deny. Therefore, these bait color selections have become my staple smallmouth presentations.

If you’re primarily a largemouth bass angler, these colors might seem a bit extreme, and I agree. Much of my largemouth angling is performed with more natural forage patterns, much subtler than these smallie color selections. While largemouths will take these baits, I see and understand a bit of hesitation from the largemouth crowd. Yet with similarities in both bait type and color choice, walleye anglers and smallmouth enthusiasts might have a bit more in common.

My earliest memories of pursuing smallmouth bass were always shared with often equal catches of walleyes from the same waters. It was rare to not catch a mixed bag of smallies or walleyes, no matter what your target species was.

While my angling has taken me way beyond the banks of the Kankakee, some of those early lessons learned still hold true today. The one standout concept in my smallmouth fishing, at least in my experiences, is that bright, brilliant-colored baits catch the eyes of these aggressive bass.

I don’t know the science of why smallmouths seem to have an attraction for these bright presentations, though I’ve spent countless hours trying to unravel this mystery. Some waters, especially rivers, have considerable reduction in visibility, so that seemed a reasonable explanation. But then again, I’ve caught so many smallies when rivers and other waters were crazy clear.

In addition, my favorite colors for smallmouths certainly don’t mimic any natural forage patterns in the waters I fish, so there’s no correlation there.

I also wondered if depth had any effect on their response to these brilliant colors, considering most of my smallmouth angling was from rivers and relatively shallow water. But I’ve caught smallmouths at more considerable depths and with varying light and clarity conditions, so I had to scratch that thought!

While I wish I could explain a smallie’s interest in such bright colors and patterns, in all honesty, I can’t; and even after many heart-to-heart conversations along the banks with bronzebacks in hand, not a single tight-lipped bass has yet to offer me any concrete answers for their behavior concerning colors. Yes, I talk to fish!

But I can say with certainty, even without testimony from the smallmouth population itself or any “lab coat science” to back me up, that such brilliant hues and patterns do attract the eyes of smallmouth bass. They will not disappoint you as you meander down the banks of your favorite smallmouth waters this summer!

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