Smallmouth bass — also known as smallies or bronzebacks — are among the most tenacious freshwater fish targeted by anglers. They’re known for striking hard and fighting even harder all the way to the boat, which is exactly what makes them so popular in the fishing world.
Seasoned smallmouth fishermen in the northern states of the US know where to look when they want to land a smallmouth, but what about southern anglers looking to book a fishing trip up north? If you’re on the hunt for a trophy smallmouth, but don’t know where to look, we’ve got several locations for you today that are renowned for their smallmouth population.
Smallmouth bass destinations
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Lake Erie - near Sandusky, OH
It may be the smallest of the Great Lakes, but what Lake Erie lacks in size, it more than makes up for with its smallie numbers. Compared to its larger siblings, Erie’s shallow depths make it much more of an ideal smallmouth habitat. Bring along a collection of tubes, drop shot tackle and a drift sock to handle the Lake Erie winds. Learn more about drop shot rigs here.
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Mille Lacs - Minnesota
At 132,000 acres, Minnesota’s Mille Lacs is a huge smallmouth locale. Here, it’s not uncommon for local anglers to catch four and five-pound fish regularly, or get nearly 50 bites a day. Fans of structure fishing will love Mille Lacs, as there are countless humps, rock piles and shallow bars on which to anchor, all teeming with smallmouth just waiting to strike.
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Chequamegon Bay, Lake Superior - Wisconsin
Lake Superior’s Chequamegon Bay isn’t very well-known to anglers, mostly due to a 21-inch size limit and a one fish bag that prevents tournaments from visiting the lake. The size limit serves to protect the bass, though, which grow extremely slowly in Lake Superior’s cold waters. The system works, however, as regular visitors report catching a five-pound smallmouth almost on a daily basis.
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1,000 Islands Area in Lake Ontario – New York
You can tell a lot about a lake’s fish population by the tournaments fished there. For instance, during a tournament in 2013, it took over 80 pounds of smallmouth to win a major tournament in the 1,000 Islands area. That should say enough. The eastern parts of Lake Ontario offer everything necessary to produce heavy stringers of smallmouth and you won’t find a lot of other anglers out there contending for a spot.
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Pickwick Lake – Alabama
A reservoir along the Tennessee River, Pickwick Lake—known for its summer largemouth action—is a major smallmouth producer once the water temperatures drop in the fall. It offers plenty offshore structure, massive schools of baitfish and plenty of rocky habitat that big smallmouth love. Here, you’ll find more trophies in the five to eight-pound range than sheer numbers of fish. Be sure to visit during the peak smallmouth months between November and April.
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