Smallmouth Bass micropterus dolomieu Smallmouth bass aficianotos contend that their quarry rates pound for pound as the hardest fighting fresh water fish. This claim is being tested by many trout fishers who are giving the trout a break during the warm, low water part of the season. While trout can die due to the stress of being caught in 70 degree water, the smallmouth bass not only tolerate but thrive in these conditions. The smallmouth is a close relative of the more popular largemouth bass but has features that make it easily identified. They are greenish brown with verticle stripes while the largemouth stripe runs laterally. Also the mouth does not extend past the eye as on the largemouth. The smallmouth can grow to about seven pounds. Habitat Smallmouth bass are associated with rocky or firm gravel bottom clear water areas. Smallmouth prefer many of the same areas of streams and rivers as trout. In streams and rivers look for them in the rocky areas. A gravelly run with large bolders in midstream will hold bass. A fallen tree or undercut bank along deep pools are also favorite ambush spots. Smallmouth very often hold at the shallow end of a deep hole waiting for food to wash out. Lakes: Unlike their murky water cousins the largemouth, the smallmouth choose the clear clean waters. Look for them around rocky islands or points with gravel bottom. Grasses growing from a firm gravel bottom harbor some of the smallmouth's food supply. Lily pads in clear water and downed trees should also be investigated. Small streams that enter the lake (or river) are a favorite feeding station. Food The smallmouth bass eat live prey. Crayfish, minnows and various insects are the primary food. Crayfish during their summertime molts are a favorite. Smallmouth feed on the mayfly hatches particularly the ephoron and potomanthis as well as hellegramites and terrestrials insects. Flies Logically, the best flies imitate the smallmouth's natural foods. Minnow imitation or crayfish Flies- clouser minnow in silver and white or gold and brown. Large wooly buggers, hellagrammites black and brown. Surface poppers foam or deerhair Crayfish imitations #10-6 2x long colored slightly lighter shade than the bottom. Streamer flies imitationg minnows. The late season hatches of ephoron, varia and --- good hatches for smbass. Stonefly nymphs, hellegrammites, crayfish, wooly buggers in black and brown and olive. Tackle 4 & 5 wt. trout outfits adaquate . will not be able to cast the larger deer hair, clouser or streamer patterns. fly rod 9' 6wt. 7-9 foot leader tapered to 2x tippet Methods Sm bass hit surface flies early morning , evening and overcast days. Look for seams, foam lines, boulders and color changes Spin Method--floating rapalas #5, mepps spinners gold & silver, lead head jpgs and grubtails. small poppers Canoe - drift in lake, cast ahead and to side. Allow canoe to drift past the line mending as you go. Trail the fly while retrieving very slowly. Sinking line best for this method. Use a minnow imitation. Floating rivers very effective and enjoyable method of fishing. Canoe anchor at selected locations. Can go where power boats and shore fishers cannot go. Tail of pools converging flows , use muddler minnow and subsurface streamers, nymphs and wet flies. canoe be prepared with both floating and sinking lines for all situations. Shallow weed beds and shorelins that hold minnows. Surface streamers, marabou muddler or dahlberg diver retrieve erradically. twitch, stop, jerk. trail streamer in deep flows. Deep pools, dropoffs gett line down with minnow or crayfish imitation. Keep the fly on the bottom. Ponds- deer hair mice and frogs on #2-6 hook. minnow or crayfish imitations. 6 wt line WF shoreline brush, weedbeds, lilypads, trees. cast fly on or close and let it sit for a while. Let the water settle. Begin to work the fly with slight twitches. Increase the motion and retreive slowly. Make the fly look like a small critter has fallen into the water. Shallow weed flats at dawn dusk low light days. In big lakes, fish the rocky areas, gravel bars, points, islands and where small streams enter. Baitfish, minnows. Through deep holes use fast sink line. Anchor and cast upstream and mend line through the hole. flyfishing