The smallmouth bass is a freshwater fish in the sunfish family. It has a distinct brownish color with dark, vertical bands on its side. There are 13-15 soft rays in the dorsal fin, and the upper jaw never extends beyond the eye. The smallmouth bass is one of the most exciting freshwater gamefish. Some anglers argue that they are the strongest fish of all pound for pound. Smallmouth bass are slightly smaller than largemouth, but they make up for it in other ways. They are known for their excellent leaping ability; sometimes jumping 3 to 4 times while on your line.
Habitat
Smallmouth can be caught in many lakes, streams and rivers. They thrive the best in the cleanest and clearest waters available, however, they can be found in murky water also. Find more information on the different types of water where you can find smallmouth bass.
How to Catch Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass feed on a variety of different things. They will eat helgrammites, minnows, chubs, perch, nightcrawlers, leeches, crayfish, shad and gobies (found in the Great Lakes). There are so many different ways to catch smallmouth bass. You can fish for them on shallow flats or along the shoreline in 2 to 4 feet of water or as deep as 50 feet the clear water lakes. Lures that imitate the baits listed above will work for smallmouth bass. Because smallmouth bass have small mouths, baits in the 2 to 5 inch range work best, although, bigger baits can be productive for trophy fish. Some of the most productive lures for catching smallmouth bass are tubes, jigs, topwater lures, finesse worms and soft plastic gobies (for the Great Lakes).
Smallmouth Bass Fishing Tips & Techniques
- Smallmouth Bass Fishing Basics
- Fishing Lures for Smallmouth Bass
- Live Baits for Smallmouth Bass
- Fishing Rigs for Smallmouth Bass
- View All Smallmouth Bass Fishing Tips & Techniques
Eating Smallmouth Bass
The bass fishing community has really bought into catch and release fishing for smallmouth bass. It does take years for a smallmouth bass to grow to trophy size, so it is smart to release the bigger bass. However, smallmouth bass do taste excellent and many anglers enjoy keeping a fish or two for the frying pan. The most popular method for cooking them is to fillet, batter and fry them in oil.
Plan a Smallmouth Bass Fishing Vacation
Most anglers head up north for their smallmouth bass fishing vacations. If you stay in the U.S., it’s tough to beat the Great Lakes, Minnesota or northern Wisconsin. If you are up for heading out of country, Ontario, Canada has some unbelievable smallmouth bass fishing. There are many places to go where you can catch smallmouth bass in the 2 to 4 pound range with the chance of catching one over 5 pounds. Don’t rule out Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee either. It is one of the better lakes to fish for smallmouth bass and you can experience some excellent fishing during the late fall and early winter months. Take a look at the best smallmouth bass fishing vacation destinations.