Smallmouth Bass
The smallmouth bass is the largemouth’s cool-water cousin. It lives in clear lakes and rocky rivers, feeds heavily on crayfish, and has a reputation as the hardest-fighting bass for its size. Look for rock and clear water and you are most of the way to finding one.
- Scientific nameMicropterus dolomieu
- Also calledSmallie, bronzeback, brown bass
- Typical catch12 to 16 inches, 1 to 3 lb
- Trophy5 lb and up
- World record11 lb 15 oz
- SpawnsSpring, from about 60°F
How to identify a smallmouth bass
Three checks will tell you:
- The jaw. With the mouth closed, the upper jaw stops at about the middle of the eye. It does not reach past it.
- The bars. The sides have dark vertical bars, not a single dark stripe from head to tail.
- The color. Bronze, brown or olive green, which is where the name bronzeback comes from. The eyes are often red or orange.
| Smallmouth | Largemouth | Spotted bass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper jaw | Stops at about the middle of the eye | Reaches well past the eye | Stops at about the back of the eye |
| Markings | Bronze with dark vertical bars | One dark band along the side | Dark band plus rows of small spots below it |
| Back fin | Clearly joined | Deep notch, nearly two fins | Clearly joined |
| Usual home | Clear, cool water over rock and gravel | Warm, quiet water with weeds and wood | Clear streams and deep, rocky reservoirs |
More on the other two: largemouth bass and spotted bass.
How big do they get?
Most smallmouth you catch will be 12 to 16 inches and 1 to 3 pounds. A 5 pound fish is a trophy in most waters. Texas Parks and Wildlife notes that the largest known from Texas weighed more than 7.5 pounds.
The world record is 11 pounds 15 ounces. David Hayes caught it on July 9, 1955, in Dale Hollow Lake on the Tennessee and Kentucky border, and no one has come close since.
Where they live
Smallmouth want clear, cool water and a hard bottom. Texas Parks and Wildlife describes their preferred homes as large, clear lakes more than 30 feet deep, and cool, clear streams with gravel bottoms.
In lakes
Rocky points, boulder fields, gravel flats and offshore humps. They are often in more open water than largemouth, and often deeper.
In rivers
Anywhere the current slows next to fast water: behind boulders, along the edges of riffles, and at the head and tail of a pool.
Smallmouth are uncommon in small, warm ponds, which suit largemouth better. They do well in deeper, clearer private lakes with rock, such as old quarries and spring-fed lakes. Check a lake’s species list before you plan a trip around smallmouth.
What they eat
Texas Parks and Wildlife reports that young smallmouth start on tiny zooplankton, move on to insect larvae, and then switch to fish and crayfish as they grow. For adults, crayfish are the main item wherever they are available, along with minnows, shad and other small fish.
That is why small, natural-looking lures in brown and green, worked along a rocky bottom, catch so many smallmouth.
Season by season
| Season | Where the bass are | What to throw |
|---|---|---|
| Winter (below 50°F) | Deep rock and steep drops in lakes. The slowest, deepest pools in rivers | Drop shot, Ned rig, fished very slowly |
| Pre-spawn (50 to 60°F) | Moving up onto rocky points and gravel flats near where they will spawn | Jerkbait, Ned rig, medium-diving crankbait |
| Spawn (low to mid 60s) | Nests on gravel, usually beside a boulder or log | Ned rig, drop shot |
| Summer (70s and up) | Shallow rock early and late. Deeper points and humps at midday. In rivers, the faster, cooler water | Popper early, drop shot midday |
| Fall (cooling) | Feeding hard on baitfish and crayfish on points and flats | Jerkbait, spinnerbait, soft swimbait |
Texas Parks and Wildlife reports that males move into spawning areas when the water nears 60°F. In lakes the nests are usually near shore. In streams they are tucked just downstream of a boulder or other shelter from the current. The male guards the nest until the fry scatter, which can take up to a month. Timing runs later the farther north you go.
Five lures to start with
| Lure | Why it is on the list | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Ned rig | Small, slow and looks like an easy meal on a rocky bottom | You are not sure where to start |
| Drop shot | Holds a bait in front of deep fish | Clear water, deep water, midday |
| Jerkbait | Smallmouth come a long way to hit it in clear water | Spring and fall, and any time fish are chasing baitfish |
| Football jig | Copies a crayfish and crawls over rock without wedging | Rocky points and ledges |
| Popper | Smallmouth hit topwater lures hard | Calm mornings and evenings in warm water |
Starter gear
| Finesse setup | Moving-bait setup | |
|---|---|---|
| Rod | 7 ft medium-light spinning rod, fast action | 7 ft medium casting rod, moderate-fast action |
| Reel | 2500 size spinning reel | Baitcaster, about 6:1 or 7:1 gear ratio |
| Line | 10 lb braid with a 6 to 8 lb fluorocarbon leader | 10 to 12 lb fluorocarbon |
| Good for | Ned rigs, drop shots, small jigs | Jerkbaits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, topwaters |
Handling and release
- Expect a jump. Smallmouth leap and shake their heads to throw the hook. Keep the line tight and the rod low when one comes up.
- Wet your hands first. Dry hands strip the slime coat that protects the fish.
- Support the weight. Grip the lower lip and put your other hand under the belly.
- Keep it quick. Unhook, take one photo and put the fish back, especially in warm water.
- Leave nesting fish close to home. A male taken off a nest should go straight back in the same place, because the eggs are unguarded while he is gone.
Public waters have state size and bag limits, and some protect smallmouth during the spawn. Private lakes set their own rules on top of state law. Check the lake’s page before you fish.
Common questions
How do I tell a smallmouth from a largemouth?
Close the mouth and look at the jaw. On a smallmouth it stops at about the middle of the eye. On a largemouth it runs well past the eye. Smallmouth are also bronze with vertical bars, where largemouth are green with one dark band along the side.
What is the best time of day?
Early morning and evening in summer. In spring and fall, smallmouth often feed through the middle of the day, especially when it is cloudy or breezy.
Do smallmouth live in ponds?
Rarely. They need cooler, clearer water than most small ponds offer. Deep, clear lakes and rocky rivers are their usual homes.
Are there smallmouth in Texas?
Yes. Texas Parks and Wildlife has stocked them in a number of reservoirs and in streams of the Edwards Plateau. They are far less widespread there than largemouth.
What color lures are best?
Natural browns and greens that look like a crayfish, such as green pumpkin, work almost everywhere. Add a shad or minnow color for jerkbaits and swimbaits.
Keep learning
Sources: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Smallmouth Bass species profile (identification, habitat, diet, spawning, size in Texas); International Game Fish Association all-tackle world record. General guidance, not a guarantee of a catch. Follow state fishing regulations and your host’s lake rules.