| Smallmouth bass is regarded to be ranked among the | | | | faster moving parts of the riffles that offer cooler |
| hardest fighting freshwater fish. It is also often | | | | water. |
| referred to as the brown bass, brownies, | | | | In lakes, they in general move to deeper water as |
| bronzebacks, smalls and smallies. Many anglers and | | | | the water warms up. They cling to around structure |
| fishermen love the challenge of catching these | | | | and shade. Smallies can be found in deeper grass and |
| aggressive fishes and the great feeling after a | | | | weed beds where forage and cover is available. |
| well-fought battle. | | | | They prefer to spawn in water temperatures within |
| Smallmouth bass fishes are well thought-out by most | | | | 62 to 65 degrees. They can usually be found |
| people to be the sportiest freshwater fish. They are | | | | spawning sometime between April and June. They will |
| known for their fighting stamina and beyond belief | | | | spawn in depths of 2 to 10 feet. The male cleans |
| leaping ability. Like largemouths, they will take almost | | | | debris from a small circular area to create the nest |
| any kind of lure or bait, but they commonly prefer | | | | and guards it for about a month after spawning to |
| smaller sizes. Favorites include jigs, crankbaits, | | | | allow the fry to grow to swim freely. |
| spinners, streamer flies, shiner minnow, crayfish, | | | | The rocky lakes of Canadian Shield produce a perfect |
| hellgrammites, leeches, and nightcrawlers. | | | | environment for not only the large trophy of these |
| The jaw of a brown bass, which extends directly | | | | species but for a great number of other fishes. On |
| below the eye, is smaller compared to that of a | | | | Lake Panache, it is not uncommon to catch your limit |
| largemouth bass. Its cheeks have from twelve to | | | | right off the dock of smallmouth. If you are looking |
| seventeen rows of scales and the dorsal fins are | | | | for big smallmouth bass then you'll probably want to |
| joined with ten spines and thirteen to fourteen soft | | | | visit this lake. Smallmouths are one of the hardest |
| rays. | | | | fighting fish in Canada but it's definitely easy to look |
| It is golden bronze or brown in color, with a lighter, | | | | for it in Lake Panache, its maybe because of the cool |
| more creamy underbelly that the largemouth which | | | | spring fed water that makes them extra scrappy and |
| has a greenish one. It has vertical dark bands or | | | | they also taste fantastic. |
| marks on the sides and its eyes have a dash of red. | | | | Northern Ontario is also well-known for big trophy |
| Most brownies weigh between 1 and 1.5 and they | | | | brown bass especially in Five Mile Lake. They are |
| can run as high as 4 or 5 pounds. | | | | found off rocky points, shoals, reeds and islands. |
| They have a preference of cool water, but will have | | | | Even though this kind of fish is not a dominant specie |
| a tendency to follow food sources. It is sensitive to | | | | in the lake, it still has a healthy population and can still |
| environmental factors and can be greatly affected by | | | | provide a full day of fishing if you go after them. |
| polluted waters. Clean rivers and lakes are necessary | | | | They are usually around 2 pounds but a fair number |
| for them to survive. They will move about from one | | | | of 3 and 4 pounders are also caught. Another lake |
| habitat to another as temperature changes | | | | which is in close proximity with the Five Mile Lake |
| throughout the year. | | | | also offers a good site for bass fishing, smallmouth |
| Smallies prefer rock strewn, gravelly hard bottoms. It | | | | bass in particular. |
| is not common for them to stay in areas with soft | | | | One more lake in Ontario provides an excellent |
| sandy or muddy bottoms. Bronzebacks, which are | | | | fishing, particularly for smallmouth bass fishes. Norse |
| found in rivers, usually hangout in shallow rocky pools | | | | Lake remains calm even in windier days. The |
| and ledges during the cooler spring weather. It is also | | | | smallmouth bass population in this lake reaches into |
| likely for them to settle on grass beds and weedy | | | | the 5 pound class. |
| patches growing on small islands and along the banks, | | | | Truly, the Canadian coasts have a lot to offer |
| especially as the growth attracts forage. When the | | | | especially when we speak of Smallmouth Bass. Visit |
| water heats up, they will tend to transfer to the | | | | the net for more information, tips and guides and see |
| deeper pools kin the rivers main channels, or to the | | | | for yourself! |