Fishing Bait for Smallmouth Bass

Any fisherman who has pursued the black bass species can tell you they all behave in very different ways. Many times anglers attempt to fish for smallmouth bass using techniques that are more suited to largemouth bass. While this can actually produce some trophy sized fish (largemouth lures tend to be a bit larger than baits targeting smallmouth) it is much better to use baits more suited to smallmouth bass specifically. Having the right fishing bait when pursuing smallmouth bass is essential for any successful day on the water. Also with the increasing popularity of the smallmouth, much more smallmout specific fishing tackle is now available.

Smallmouth Bass Diet

All smallmouth bass have similar diets, but what really dictates a fish's diet is it's habitat. As a general rule most anglers will say crayfish (craw-dads, mud bugs, etc) are the dominant food source for smallmouth bass. While this can be very true in many cases, other forage items can sometimes dominate a smallmouth's diet. Some examples of alternative smallmouth prey include helgramites, crickets, grasshoppers, small fish, and even frogs!

Fishing Baits for Lakes/Resevoirs

Smallmouth bass tend to enjoy large, cool, bodies of water. Almost the opposite of the largemouth's love of warmer climates. In these fisheries smallmouth tend to focus more on bait fish such as shad, or even yellow perch, as apposed to crayfish and other bottom dwelling organisms. Fishing baits for these open bodies of water include:

• Crankbaits, for scanning larger areas of water and locating fish.
  
• Spnnierbaits, same use as crankbaits but can also be fairly weedless.
• Topwater/Stickbaits, for when smallmouth can be seen breaking the surface in pursuit of baitfish.

• Jigs/Tube Baits, always a great choice for smallmouth! Many anglers switch to these when they have located schooling fish with a crank or spinnerbait.

Fishing Baits for Rivers/Streams

All fish in rivers and streams behave differently than their lake dwelling brothers and sisters. Diet is one of these critical differences in behavior. Smallmouth bass in rivers and especially streams tend to focus more on the invertebrate side of their dietary range. As crayfish, helgramites, nyphs of various species, and even leaches become more common smallmouth will key in on them. Tried and true baits for streams and rivers include:

• Small jigs, such as marabou or grubs tend to work wonders for stream smallmouth.
• In-line spinners, such as the roostertail are great for finding fish much like the crankbait in more open water
• life-like small plastics, these can be found at many tackle retailers and actively try to mimic small nymphs and crustaceans.
• Small suspending or sinking minnow baits, such as a sinking Rapala, work better in moving water as they can be allowed to sink in the current.

Equipment for Smallmouth Bass Fishing

Smallmouth fishing baits can get pretty light, such as tube baits and small jigs, and the proper equipment is critical to success. Not only do these light fishing baits need lighter line, they also demand a lighter action rod to even cast properly! Many smallmouth bass fisherman tend to use an ultralight fishing setup on streams and small rivers where a sensative, fast action rod is needed for precise casting and lure presentation. However on large bodies of water such as lakes, resevoirs, and large rivers medium-light to medium action rods become more appropriate. Line weight on any smallmouth bass fishing setup does not usually exceed 10ibs unless dealing with heavy cover.