Smallmouth Bass

Photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

Smallmouth bass are a popular gamefish which are typically brownish or greenish in color with dark colored bands that run from the top of the fish to the belly along both sides.  The smallmouth bass has an upper jaw that reaches back to just below the middle of its eyes red colored eyes.

Smallmouth bass thrive in streams, rivers and other bodies of water that are relatively clear.  They prefer to hang out around cover areas such as sunken trees and brush as well as large rocks. 

As with largemouth bass, smallmouth bass will eat just about anything they can get in their mouths including other gamefish, minnows/shiners, crawdads, frogs, snakes and water dwelling insects.

Smallmouth bass will bite on an array of artificial lures including plastic grubs and worms, topwater lures, jigs, spoons, spinnerbaits, plastic tube baits and buzz baits. While spawning these fish will attack nearly anything you flash in front of them in an effort to protect their nesting areas.

One of the biggest reasons for their popularity is the fact that the smallmouth bass will put up a tremendous fight making them extremely fun to catch.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day