Smallmouth Black Bass

Smallmouth Black Bass (Micropterus dolomieu)

Smallmouth Bass

The smallmouth bass can be readily distinguished from the largemouth by the fact that the upper lip does not extend back of the eye. It is generally a slimmer fish than the large-mouth and of a bronzier coloration, though quite often the two fish cannot be distinguished from one another from the color standpoint. The smallmouth is found in rivers and lakes in the northern states where the largemouth cannot live, although they overlap in most central state areas. While the smallmouth does not grow to as big a size as the largemouth, averaging from two to eight pounds, it makes up the difference in fighting ability, pound for pound putting up a more fero­cious fight than any of the trouts. Both species take surface fly rod bugs, spinning and bait casting plugs both underwater and surface depending on the conditions.

Depending on the location, bass are hooked from late spring to late fall. They are not a migrating fish like some of the trout, but hold to a specific location in a lake or stream and will guard their domain against all comers, including your lures. They can be easily provoked at times into striking almost any kind of lure that makes a disturbance in the water, coming out in a savage rush, hitting the lure and tail dancing with it across the water. More often than not they will throw even the treble hooks unless the angler keeps just the right amount of tension on the line. The smallmouth black bass is judged to be co-partner with the large­mouth as America's favorite game fish.

Photo courtesy of mthaeg on Flickr!