Pre-spawn smallmouth season is the ultimate sweet spot—a sometimes brief but explosive window where big bronzebacks leave their winter haunts and aggressively feed before the spawn. As water temperatures creep into the mid-40s to upper-50s, smallies shift from sluggish to ferocious, stacking up in predictable staging areas and smashing well-presented flies.

In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know to successfully target river smallmouth during pre-spawn, including the ideal water temps, staging locations, effective fly patterns, and how to fish your flies. Plus, we’ll dive into detailed questions that will help you refine your own pre-spawn river strategies.

Is Pre-Spawn Good for Smallmouth Fishing?

Absolutely. For anglers, pre-spawn is prime time for chasing smallmouth bass. As water temperatures rise in early spring, river smallies shake off their winter rust and begin their migration toward spawning areas. During this period, they feed heavily to build up energy reserves, making them aggressive and opportunistic.

What makes the pre-spawn special is the predictability. Smallmouth follow consistent migratory routes, staging in specific areas before moving onto spawning flats. If you dial in on their movement patterns, you can catch big numbers and trophy-sized fish. It’s also one of the rare times when river smallies strike both fast-moving streamers and slower, bottom-bouncing flies with equal ferocity. They’re hungry, and they’re gonna wanna eat!

I love fishing the pre-spawn. I’ve found it to be one of the best times of the year to catch both numbers and size of smallies. They are ultra-aggressive during this part of the year and can usually be found in predictable areas. 

I’ve had success fishing all types of flies in these conditions and it is a great opportunity to try both your favorites and some others you’d like to experiment with. Small flies, large flies, you name it, success can be had on everything.

For more, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Early Spring Smallmouth.

What Temperature Does Pre-Spawn Start?

Pre-spawn kicks off when water temps hit the mid-40s and peaks around 55°F to 58°F, just before bass start spawning. 

Here’s a general breakdown:

• 40°F to 45°F: Bass emerge from deep wintering holes but remain sluggish. The bite is slow but consistent.
  
• 45°F to 50°F: Activity picks up significantly. Smallies move toward staging areas and feed more aggressively.
  
• 50°F to 58°F: The pre-spawn sweet spot. Smallmouth are actively hunting, hitting larger flies, and holding in predictable transition areas.
  

Where Do You Fish for Pre-Spawn Smallmouth?

Smallmouth are all about structure and current breaks during pre-spawn. Their migration from deep wintering holes to spawning flats happens gradually, and they hold in staging areas along the way. 

The key is targeting places where they can feed efficiently while conserving energy. Where slow water meets fast water are the first spots I check out.

Top Pre-Spawn Spots for Smallmouth Bass

• Deep Pools Near Flats: Smallies winter in the deepest, slowest pools. As water warms, they move toward the upstream or downstream edges where the current picks up. These transition zones are perfect ambush points.
  • If fishing early in the pre-spawn and the water temps are still a little chilly, seek out these deep water areas first. Fish may not have ventured too far from their wintering holes.
    
• Current Seams and Eddies: Pre-spawn smallmouth position along current seams where fast and slow water meet. They use the softer water to conserve energy while waiting for bait to drift by.
  
• Rocky Points and Gravel Bars: Smallmouth stage around rocky points and ledges adjacent to shallower spawning areas. The rocks provide both cover and warmth, making them prime feeding spots.
  • I’ve found this tip to be helpful on colder, sunnier days. The rocks absorb and retain heat from the sun better than other structure, which gives smallies a nice spot to hang out.
    
• Tailouts of Deep Runs: As smallies push shallower, they often stack up in tailouts—the slower, flatter section at the end of deeper runs. These areas are pre-spawn goldmines.
  • This can almost feel like trout fishing. I’ll even dead drift flies under an indicator for an easy to eat, naturally appearing meal. While it’s not my favorite way to fish for smallies, there’s no doubt that it can be very effective when they don’t quite feel like chasing down flies.
    
• Tributary Mouths: In larger river systems, smallmouth migrate into smaller tributaries to spawn. The confluence where the two meet often holds big pre-spawn fish.
  • If fishing in creeks, get as close to the main river as you can as fish start to migrate to spawn. From my experience, some of my favorite spots are not quite full of fish early in the season because they’re too far upstream. Gaining ground towards the fish can help you meet them in the middle.
    

How Deep Are Pre-Spawn Bass in Rivers?

Depth in rivers depends heavily on flow rate and water clarity, but most pre-spawn smallmouth hold between 4 and 12 feet. Unlike lake smallmouth, river bass don’t always go super deep in the winter. Instead, they seek slack water and slower current, which often puts them in moderate depths with access to deeper nearby channels. However, depending on your waters, they’ll usually find the deepest water they can when the water is the coldest.

Depth Zones to Target

• Early Pre-Spawn (40°F–45°F): Smallmouth hold in 8- to 15-foot pools, near boulders or submerged logs.
  
• Mid Pre-Spawn (46°F–52°F): As they stage closer to spawning flats, you’ll find them in 5 to 10 feet, often near eddies or along rocky ledges.
  
• Late Pre-Spawn (53°F–58°F): When the water nears spawning temperature, they move into 2 to 6 feet of water along gravel bars or flat sections.

Depending on the size of the waters you fish, knowing the exact depth isn’t as important as it is in lakes. In smaller rivers, I usually fish the deepest water I can (anywhere from 4-12 feet) when the water is the coldest, then as water temps rise I focus on structure. In medium or large rivers, I’ve had success focusing more on structure than worrying too much about depth, especially as the season progresses. 

The main thing to remember is that the colder the water is, the deeper the fish are likely to be, which will depend on your water system. As the temps rise, focus more on structure and current breaks than exact depths.

How to Catch Pre-Spawn Smallmouth in Rivers

The pre-spawn bite is a perfect blend of power and finesse fishing. You can catch bass on aggressive streamers when they’re actively feeding or slow, bottom-hugging flies when they’re holding deeper.

Some days, it doesn’t even really matter- the fish are that hungry!

Fly Patterns for Pre-Spawn River Smallmouth

• Streamers: Pre-spawn river smallies are aggressive, making large, meaty streamers a go-to choice.
  Clouser Minnows, Game Changers, and Deceivers are excellent choices. Any baitfish fly fished in the right areas can be very, very effective.
  • Use natural colors (olive, tan, white) in clear water and brighter hues (chartreuse, yellow, orange) in stained water. Black is also a great color if the water is especially murky.
• Crayfish and Bottom-Bouncing Flies: As the water warms, smallmouth gorge on crayfish.
  • Simple Crayfish, Near Nuff Crayfish, and Helgrammite Patterns fished along the bottom are deadly.
• Jig-Style Streamers: Weighted streamers, such as the Slump Buster or Bunny Leech, are perfect for working deeper runs.
• Wooly Buggers: And of course, no list of smallmouth flies would be complete without the good ole’ Wooly Bugger.
  • Wooly Buggers will mimic anything that swims in the water- baitfish, leeches, crayfish- making them a perfect fly when you’re not sure what they’re feeding on.
    

For more details, check out our Best Pre-Spawn Flies for Big Smallmouth Bass

Click through this gallery for some of my favorite pre-spawn smallmouth flies:

Presentation Tips

• Fish Slow Early: When the water is in the low-to-mid 40s, keep your presentation slow. Let your fly drift naturally with the current or crawl it along the bottom.
  • Dead drifting flies through deeper holes can be a very effective method when the water temps are low early in the season.
    
• Speed Up as Temps Rise: As water approaches 50°F, increase the speed and aggression of your retrieve.
  • Smallies start feeling a little froggy once the water warms up and fishing flies aggressively is a great way to trigger a vicious bite.
    
• Use Sink Tips or Intermediate Lines: This keeps your fly in the strike zone longer, especially when targeting deeper runs or pools.
  

Will Bass Hit Topwater During Pre-Spawn?

It’s rare, but it happens. During the later stages of pre-spawn (when water temps are in the mid-50s), river smallmouth occasionally hit topwater flies. Warm, calm afternoons with low, clear water are your best bet.

If you’re seeing surface activity, tie on a Gurgler or foam popper and work it slowly across the surface, creating a subtle wake. It’s not a numbers game, but the few topwater strikes you get during pre-spawn are explosive.

Topwater is not my first thought during the pre-spawn, focusing rather on subsurface flies. However, if you are noticing that fish are hitting your streamer as soon as it hits the water, they’ll likely be willing to feed on top as well. 

Conclusion

Pre-spawn is hands down one of the best times of the year to target smallmouth. The fish are aggressive, predictable, and feeding heavily. By focusing on staging areas, fishing the right depths, and dialing in your fly presentation, you’ll put yourself in position to land some serious smallies.

So, tie on your favorite streamer, find a rocky ledge or deep pool, and let the current do the work—pre-spawn smallies are waiting.