When water temperatures tumble below the low-40F range, bass often move from mid-depth flats to more vertical structures. Fast-breaking edges allow bass to change depth easily, without traveling long distances.
Within a specific range of sizes and actions, plastic worms are the most versatile and most effective tools to use for smallmouths in lakes. The right worm is 4 to 5 inches long and relatively thin.
It's typical to have smallmouths congregate on humps and sunken islands that top out at 15 to 25 feet deep during fall in natural lakes.