Freshwater

Smallmouth Bass

Micropterus dolomieu · Centrarchidae

Also known as: Bronzeback, Smallie, Brown bass

Pound for pound one of the hardest-fighting freshwater gamefish.

Identification

Bronze to brown with vertical bars; the upper jaw stops at the eye, and the eye often has a red tint.

Clear, cooler lakes and rivers with rock, gravel, and current — the opposite of largemouth's weedy cover.

Native to the central and eastern US and southeastern Canada; widely introduced.

Crayfish are the staple, plus baitfish and insects.

Spring, on gravel or rock nests fanned and guarded by the male.

Fish rock — points, ledges, and current breaks. Smallmouth pull hard and jump, so keep steady pressure.

Best techniques

Lures & baits

Best season: Late spring and fall; current seams in rivers all season.