I found them on the main lake points cranking a DD22 chrome with blue back and a rattle trap 1/2 oz chrome and blue as well 15-20' deep. Just be careful with the trap they had a need to swallow it on me and I mean swallow there are two biguns swimming around with my traps., I just could not killem' to get them back! By the way that tongue falling off spot.....I could not get one off it. They released 10,000 trout there a couple of days earlier and those little guy's beat my lures to death. I must of caught 30-35 of them even on big DD22 cranks it was fun but it don't pay the bills!
I have caught smallies on inland lakes (Northern Lower Peninsula...ie Charlevoix, Burt, Mullet, Elk, Torch, etc.) in 15-20 feet of water while on beds....its not easy, but it can be done.