Time for moving water Smallmouth Bass........

July, Aug and Sept are my pick for moving water SMB in Nor Cal.

This usually early and late in the day for me.

But I prefer to get out on the water around 5:00 pm and fish till dark.

I fish 90% top water by limited the time of day I fish.


Some ideas would be the Russian River, Lower Feather River, Sacramento river, Lower Stan, Lower Moke?

Cache Creek, the Bear River, American above Auburn, Cosumnes River........

Any foothill to valley river that is warm now could be a good bet.

Lots of small streams off the bigger river too.



Guides Bryce Tedford, Maury Hatch and Steve Santucci all guide Smallmouth in the Delta in the summer.

Many years ago Mike Fong told Al Perryman that the flow on the Lower Feather River had to get below 2000 cfs so it would warm up and get the Smallmouth feeding.

Not sure but the river looks like it is still 7,000 cfs?