The smallmouth bass prefer rocks and pebbles roughly the size of bowling balls to make their habitat. In the spring, in late May and early June, the bass will start their spawn in shallow bays that have a gravely bottom. They will become more active when the water temperatures reach into the low 50s and will spawn in temps of 58-62 degrees. Depths of only a couple feet or more is all the deeper that they tend to build their beds in. The females will lay the eggs on the beds and shortly after the males will come in and watch over the eggs until they hatch. While the males are on watch, they become very aggressive and territorial. They will strike any intruder that comes into their area, your fishing lures included. So this time of the season holds some of the most fantastic top-water smallmouth action to be had in the canoe country.