The fish strike was surprisingly aggressive given the frigid water temperature. From 40 feet below the surface the fish put up a stubborn fight. Eventually its olive-bronze body showed through the clear water. A few moments later its 19-plus inches slid over the frame of the landing net and a milestone had been accomplished.  

To the best of my memory I’d never caught a smallmouth bass from Pennsylvania waters during February, the only one of the 12 months when I’d failed to do so. So I guess that changed last weekend while on the icy waters of Keystone Lake. And while personal accomplishments such as this don’t mean much to me — particularly as I get older — it does illustrate the availability of brown bass to the region’s anglers, especially when the weather cooperates.

For instance, during years that feature an early spring, which we might be in store for given the mild winter, smallmouth bass on the Allegheny River start hitting consistently in March. Often those first warm days of early spring provide some of the best action for big numbers of big bronzebacks.

Sometime in April big smallmouth bass will begin invading Presque Isle Bay, fish lured there from Lake Erie proper during the annual spawning period. It’s a great chance for anglers lacking the bigger boats needed to safely fish Lake Erie to enjoy fishing for these bubba-sized bass. And the action isn’t limited to boat anglers. Folks fishing from the piers of the bay, as well as from the sandy shores of Presque Isle State Park also take bass from the bay. By late June most, if not all, of the brown bass will have returned back to Lake Erie.

By summer anglers have a lot of choices in terms of smallmouth bass waters. Locally, Keystone Lake continues to support a good population of smallmouth bass, including some true trophy sized ones. Given Keystone’s clear waters and comparatively heavy fishing pressure it’s wise to incorporate some night fishing when plying Keystone during the summer, particularly if it’s the bigger bass you’re after.

If you’re willing to travel a couple hours to the north, Conneaut Lake is home to some monster broznebacks. Summer fishing can be productive, though it’s wise to be off the lake by noon, before the intense recreational boating activity picks up. Conneaut can also be a good bet well into the fall.

If smaller waters are to your liking we have plenty of them around here, ones with good numbers of smallmouth bass. Redbank Creek, Mahoning Creek, the Kiski River and the Clarion River are all good choices.

Any discussion of summertime smallie fishing wouldn’t be complete without mention of Lake Erie. The fishing has gotten tougher there in recent years. Perhaps there are fewer fish due to predation by round gobies; or maybe a shift in forage (gobies also provide a great source of good). But if you hit things right the action can still be outstanding.

Come fall there are fewer places better suited to good smallmouth fishing that larger rivers like the Allegheny, both the lower Allegheny (which is impounded by dams) and the middle Allegheny (which is free-flowing). Smallies consistently until the water drops down into the 40-degree range. The action often continues into December, and even January during years when winter shows up late.

The bronzeback: indeed, a fish for all seasons.

Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.