The best thing to do is start shallow and just keep working deeper. When that happens, dock fishing is an excellent pattern. And those smallies, when they get in on those rocks they kind of back into them and take up their positions. So when you find those big boulders and scattered rock piles, there's going to be smallmouth there if there has not been too much activity and in May there usually isn't. I like the mushroom heads made by Northland the best.
Color does make a difference.
I usually start with chartreuse then move around from there. May. A slip bobber and minnow is another good presentation at this time. We just anchor on rock piles and stillfish. And when he's searching for trophies, everything takes a back seat to live bait. Anything from big golden shiners to big silver shiners to big blue chubs, perch or bluegill will do it.