Best Places to Fish for Smallmouth Bass
Where to Go to Catch Strong, Freshwater Bass in US and Canada
May 19, 2009
Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui) are aggressive freshwater fish that will readily engulf nearly anything that they can fit in their mouths. Although these fish are natives of the Ohio River basin in the United States, today they live throughout the eastern part of the country, and are doing well in some places where they have been introduced along the west coast. They also live in the larger lakes of the Midwest, and up into Canada. Generally, these fish inhabit colder waters than do largemouth bass, such as faster moving rivers, and deep, cold mountain lakes.
Northern Midwest and Canada
Smallmouth bass thrive in the deep lakes of the northern Midwestern states and Canada. In the United States, perhaps the best place to fish for smallmouth in lakes is in Minnestoa (deemed the "land of 10,000 lakes," although there are actually nearly 12,000 lakes of over ten acres). All of the larger lakes in Minnesota hold smallmouth, with some of the most productive being Lake Kabetogama, Lake Vermillion, and Trout Lake. The rivers that feed these lakes are also teaming with smallmouth. In Ontario, nearly every large lake holds plenty of smallmouth. There are a number of unspoiled lakes which few anglers have fished, off the beaten path, that have record-sized smallmouth, but more popular lakes, such as Bear Lake, and Rainy Lake (on the Minnesota border) offer plenty of smallmouth as well.
Western United States
There are a few places in the Western United States where smallmouth have been introduced, and have subsequently thrived. Oregon is probably the best place to fish for these fish in the West. The John Day River, and the Umpqua River are some of the best places to go in the state. Idaho's Snake River is another spot in the West that hosts some excellent smallmouth fishing. When targeting smallmouth bass in the west, it may be easiest to devote several days to fishing, as some of the places are more remote, and take some travel time to reach.
Smallmouth Bass in the Eastern US
The Eastern United States has some of the best rivers for smallmouth bass anywhere in the world. The Susquehanna River of Pennsylvania is renowned as one of the best places for these fish, and it is deserving of this recognition. Throughout the river there are smallmouth bass. The Susquehanna has rapids and rougher waters, deep banks, shallow, sandy shores, and shaded, rocky banks, all of which hold smallmouth. The James River in Virginia is another excellent spot for these fish. It has all of the river characteristics that smallmouth love, and the smaller rivers that flow into the James (the Maury, Tie, Rockfish, and Rivanna) also contain plenty of bass. In Western Virginia, the New River, which also flows through parts of West Virginia and North Carolina, is a larger river that is perfect for smallmouth, and Virginia's state record fish was taken there (a fish of 8 lbs 1 oz).
Smallmouth bass are available in many rivers and lakes of the Eastern and Midwestern United States and central Canada, and in select parts of the West, and they are nothing short of a serious angler's dream. These fish are incredibly strong, and they aggressively feed on anything that they can easily engulf, and they will readily take a number of lures. That is why they are the perfect freshwater gamefish.
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