Smallmouth Bass
Also known as: Smallies, Brown bass, or Bronzeback
Small, Fiesty
The Smallmouth bass is a slender fish with a moderately large mouth, where the upper jaw reaches about to the rear margin of the eye in adults. Spiny and soft parts of the dorsal fin are broadly connected with only a shallow notch between the lobes. It is golden green on the sides and back with faint wavy olive blotches along the sides. You’ll find five olive green bars radiating backward from the eye, and one forward to the end of the snout. The tail fin in young smallmouth is tri-coloured with a black vertical bar separating the yellowish fin base.
They reach maximum weights of 5 or 6 lbs; fish over 3 to 4 lbs are trophy sized.
They were not naturally abundant in Manitoba rivers and lakes but an aggressive stocking program over the past four decades have increased populations.
Dominant River Predator
In the larger cool, clear interior streams/rivers of eastern Manitoba, Smallmouth bass has become a dominant predator, feeding mostly on fish, crustaceans and larger aquatic and terrestrial insects. Forage fish make up a large part of their diet while crayfish and insects seem to make up the rest of their diets.
Smallmouth bass spawn in Manitoba during the late part of May and early part of June. Lake fish will choose areas with gravel bottoms and are exposed to the sun for longer periods of time. Male fish construct a saucer-shaped nest on the gravel, coarse sand or rock bottom.
Sunrise, Sunset
Before spawn and post-spawn, lures that look like minnows are effective. During mid-June to mid-August, use lures that mimic crustaceans. In the early morning and late evening, Smallmouths will readily pursue surface presentations.
You’ll find the Smallmouth bass in swift flowing, less turbid waters in rivers and smaller streams.
Expert’s Tip: Light spinning gear using crayfish coloured crank baits can produce hot smallmouth action.
For more great tips on Smallmouth Bass fishing in Manitoba, check out our Smallmouth Bass Tips & Tricks page.
Manitoba Record: On Rice Lake, the biggest Smallmouth measured 61.60 cm (24.25”) and was released.
Get the all time records information from our Master Angler records.
