As the water warms, a smallmouth's metabolism will speed up causing them to have to eat more and more food to maintain their body weight. Although the "big fish" will not weigh quite as much as they do in the spring or fall, they still have to eat, and we DO catch them in the summer months with good regularity. Charlie, Stew, Earnie and their friends are good clients of mine and fish with me several times each year. We have had some great trips over the last two seasons, but I could tell Charlie was a little reluctant about his June trip this year. The water was low, clear, and warm. These conditions did not stop us as we had a very good two days. Charlie led the way with seven fish between 17" and 21.5" including a 20"-er and a 21.5"-er that weighed in at a heavy 4lb 10oz. During the second day of the trip, we were catching them on a variety of soft plastics; however, the STIK-O seemed to be working best; especially for Stew. After Stew caught several fish on it, Charlie asked me if he could have one of those STIK-O's. I told Charlie he needed to stick with his bait just a little longer; but in reality, I was just messing with him. After about five minutes and five more fish for Stew, I rigged Charlie a STIK-O. On his first cast with it he hooked and landed the 21.5"-er pictured above, the biggest of his six citations he has caught with us over the last two seasons. The moral to the story is fish when you can; the catching will come.....and the biggest ones may come when you least expect it!!!