Depth ranges for smallies and largies

Randy Yeager · Post by **Randy Yeager** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 8:29 am

Spots can be caught over a hundred feet deep, how about smallmouths and largemouths, I have typically caught my smallmouth in shallow water when their up to feed and largemouth from shallow to around 40'.

What has been you'alls experience.

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 8:55 am

For me, the most consistant range fer all three species, is that 15-25 foot range.

It can vary seasonally, as well as lake to lake here in California. An extreme example is Don Pedro and it's population of large mouth. When those fish there move shallow ta feed, you'll catch the snot out of them in 45 foot of water! The live in 60-90 feet almost year round. Conroy Oakley taught me this 20 years ago, I think it still holds true today. Yet I've been on ClearLake in January and February, year after year, 46 degree water temps, and the best damn bite on that lake is in 5 feet of water around the docks, go figure! LOL

gt5bass · Post by **gt5bass** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 10:47 am

Many years ago, I got on a school of Largies at Lake Casitas in 108 feet of water. Never done it again, I have graphed them there but I won't fish for them as it the mortality rate would be horrible