Features and behaviors of Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass Identifier shows that smallmouth bass is a freshwater species and a popular game fish in North America. Smallmouths are in the sunfish family and one of the six black bass members.

Smallmouth bass are native to cooler freshwater bodies of water in eastern and central North America. Native populations are considered to have been initially throughout the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes system. Their southern boundary crept into Tennessee, parts of Mississippi and as far west as Oklahoma.

Smallmouth Bass Identifier

Smallmouth bass can range in color from green to bronze. The coloration often includes a pattern of vertical bars along the sides of the fish. The upper jaw of smallmouth bass does not extend beyond the back of the eye.

Diet:

Smallmouth bass eat a variety of food items. Juvenile bass eat smaller food items like insects. Adult smallmouths consume a variety of fish, crayfish, dragonflies, and virtually anything else they can fit in their mouths!

Habitat:

The smallmouth bass can withstand relatively strong currents and prefer clearer water than its largemouth bass cousins. You’ll come across smallies in streams, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, and ponds with rocky areas and cooler temperatures.

While it can live on both still and running waters, the smallmouth bass doesn’t tolerate pollution well, and they are indicators of an environment that’s healthy. This predatory fish can adjust to conditions better than trout species.

Angling:

Smallmouth bass are fairly easy to catch. They are aggressive and will often strike even when they aren’t hungry. The biggest challenge is knowing where to fish in order to get your bait in front of them.

The best baits for catching smallmouth are minnows, crawfish, and artificial lures. When fishing for smallies, you can use spinners, crankbaits, stickbaits, jigs, and plastic craws etc.