The North Fork Holston River again tops all of the others with a score of 13. Smallmouth bass are hefty freshwater fish sparsely found in lakes and ponds. I’ve heard that they can be over 16 years of age in Ontario. That same 4-pound bass could be 6 or 7 years old, instead of 18 or 19. The smallmouth prefers cooler water temperatures than its cousin the largemouth bass, and may be found in both still and running water. Here’s his personal best and my boat’s largest from the 2016 season; measuring 21.5” and weighing 6.4 lbs. [3] There are two recognized subspecies, the Northern smallmouth bass (M. dolomieui dolomieui) and the Neosho smallmouth bass (M. dolomieui velox). During the mid-to-late 19th century, smallmouth were transplanted via the nation's rail system to lakes and rivers throughout the northern and western United States, as far as California. Keep a tight line or it will throw your hook. For a short window of time, often just a few days, spawning fish will be extra-aggressive and will move 5 feet to strike even fast-moving crankbaits or topwater lures. Just as not all Southern bass grow to 10 pounds, not all Northern bass live to 19. Many smaller rivers have tons of smallmouth. Smallmouth live as long as 18 years in the North, but seldom longer than 7 years in the South. See https://fishncanada.com/live/ for details. On some of the smaller rivers, you can go catch 50-100 smallmouth in a day, but a three pounder might be good one on those smaller systems. They need more oxygen and less light. That very same fish in Northern Ontario, however, will be less than 12 inches in length, weigh less than a pound an will never have spawned a single time! Darryl has even sampled smallmouth bass in Rainy Lake that were 20 to 22 years old, the oldest fish being a 23-year-old Methuselah. Fingerling smallmouth bass at 2-1/2 inches long. “Smallies," on the other hand, are slightly smaller than largemouth bass (Oregon state record is a little under nine pounds), tend to hang out in schools, and prefer cooler, clearer water. Smallmouth will spawn anywhere from 1 … Some days on your fishing trip to Canada, you may find smallmouth bass will not hit not matter what you throw at them, they will be hard to find.That’s when you have to switch and use live bait which usually works all the time. Record for Smallmouth Bass. A fish has just so many heartbeats and in southern waters, those heartbeats take place much more quickly due to warmer waters and longer warm seasons. Discover How Long Smallmouth bass Lives. Smallmouth bass habitat is … You also agree to receive email updates on new posts and offers. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. Jun 11, 2017 - Explore Norm8858's board "Smallmouth bass", followed by 216 people on Pinterest. They may also be caught with a fly rod using a dry or wet artificial fly, nymphs, streamers, or imitations of larger aquatic creatures, such as hellgrammites, crawfish, or leeches. How long will a bass live? Enter Outdoor Canada’s 10th annual photo contest! Fishing partner and smallmouth bass expert, Johnny Amato, was gracious to contribute to this piece and offer insights to our northern Wisconsin live bait fishing program. What is amazing, however, is that the bass in Rainy Lake are typical of smallmouth bass living at the northern limit of their range. Bass are very active and swim most of the day and night. Later, smallmouth populations also began to decline after years of damage caused by overdevelopment and pollution, as well as a loss of river habitat caused by damming many formerly wild rivers to form lakes or reservoirs. Kids in particular like to wonder if the bass (muskie, walleye or crappie) they just caught is older than they are, but even adults marvel at the fact that the smallmouth dangling from the end of their line may be 20 or more years old. The smallmouth is highly regarded for its topwater fighting ability when hooked – old fishing journals referred to the smallmouth bass as "ounce for ounce and pound for pound the gamest fish that swims". So, if we take smallmouth bass as the example, a fish born five years ago in Kentucky or Tennessee will be about 19-inches in length, weigh close to four pounds and will already have spawned several times. According to many, smallmouth typically put up a better, more exciting fight than any other black bass. Still, this species often reaches 300 mm (12 in) or more, in many Minnesota lakes and streams. Smallmouth Bass. Getting back to our two identical bass—the one living in chilly northern Ontario and the other one in warm Kentucky—the reason for the huge difference in their potential maximum ages, lies in the fact that the Kentucky bass is living 24/7/365—every second, every minute, every hour, every day of the year, while the bass in Northern Ontario sleeps away and hibernates for almost half the year, under the ice, with its heart barely beating. Large Swedish Pimples—like the 3 ¼-inch, 1-ounce model —are staple lures for ice anglers, but they also get the job done when the water opens up. The average smallmouths come in at less than 5 pounds, on average. Smallmouth can also be taken in cool lakes like Lake Erie or any of the northern lakes. Even for the larger smallmouth, it normally takes 10 days or more before any re-nesting is attempted. Bass, like other fish, can be eaten raw. Rule 1: No largemouth bass in your smallmouth pond. Smallmouth Bass: As the Eagles swoop down and grab a few of our nice sized smallies, it can take 3 to 5 years for these prized fighters to grow to maturity. But—and this is a big but—the bass in Kentucky will be dead of old age when it’s 10 or 11 years old, while the fish in Northern Ontario will still live for another 10 years. When fishing, lures or live bait will work. You can find smallmouth bass in waterways either above or below the Mason-Dixon Line. It's a bass, a smallmouth bass! There's a bite. Smallmouth bass spawn in quiet water near shore, or downstream from a boulder or other obstruction that breaks the force of the current. As in previous conversations, Lindner noted professional bass tournaments do not allow participants to use any live bait. Smallmouth weighing up to 11 pounds, 8 ounces have been taken from Canadian waters, and there are probably as many 5-pound-plus smallmouth caught in the North as in the South. Finding the right elements together will allow you to catch more fish. In the early spring, they will move to secondary points in preparation for the spawn. Keep a tight line or it will throw your hook. It can also survive in a stronger current than other black bass. Catch Gord Pyzer on Fish’n Canada Live with Angelo Viola and Pete Bowman. For smallmouth bass over 17 inches, the Jackson River does not support large smallmouth bass as indicated with an RSD of 0.1 for memorable size fish. “In lakes with high recruitment, unless they are extremely fertile with lots of forage, you’re going to have slow growth because there are too many mouths to feed,” he explained. In general smallmouth do not grow as fast or get as big as largemouth bass. Smallmouth weighing up to 11 pounds, 8 ounces have been taken from Canadian waters, and there are probably as many 5-pound-plus smallmouth caught in the North as in the South. Here’s his personal best and my boat’s largest from the 2016 season; measuring 21.5” and weighing 6.4 lbs. Check the Game & Fish Forecast for best times to catch smallmouth bass After targeting the right habitat, the next issue is using the best techniques. In the country, largemouth bass is often found in lakes, rivers, creeks, and dams. The upper jaw of smallmouth bass extends to the middle of the eye. Known in fishing circles as Doctor Pyzer, he worked for 30 years as a senior manager with Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources before devoting all his energies to fishing. Skipping Sneaky Pete’s and Trim Jim’s across the riffles gave us almost non-stop action on smaller fish, while propping the deeper water with streamers and hellgrammite flies gave up the bigger fish. It's a bass, a smallmouth bass! This is part 1 of a 2-part series. Artificial Bait Or Live Bait? So, from Nature’s perspective, it all balances out, providing, of course, that the smallmouth bass in Ontario isn’t killed before it has a chance to grow up and spawn. River water smallmouth that live in dark water tend to be rather torpedo-shaped and very dark brown to be more efficient for feeding. Description. For river fishing, spinning tackle or fly tackle has been the most popular angling tools for smallmouth in North America for many years. Its common names include smallmouth, bronzeback, brown bass, brownie, smallie, bronze bass, and bareback bass. [12][13] The smallmouth bass is potentially the toughest fighting freshwater fish in North America, and is commonly the targeted species in many fresh water fishing tournaments. In fact, when I was the District Manager with Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) here in Kenora, our Lake of the Woods Fisheries Assessment folks regularly sampled and aged smallmouth bass in the 20 year old category. [9][11], Today, smallmouth bass are very popular game fish, frequently sought by anglers using conventional spinning and bait casting gear, as well as fly fishing tackle. They will often start to follow you along the tank once they get to know the feeding routine. And if you know anything about the great lakes, you know they hold great big smallmouth. cooking smallmouth bass, See the story of how 23-year-old Brandon Palaniuk and his 21-year-old sister, Brianna Palaniuk, took the bass fishing world by storm. How Long Do They Live? I recall a conversation with Ronald Lindner about live bait. SIZE:The length of smallmouth bass most commonly caught is between 12 and 16 in (30.5 cm to 40.6 cm). During the rest of the year, smallmouth are usually taken using soft plastic tubes or spinnerbaits. The largemouth bass is an olive-green to greenish gray fish, marked by a series of dark, sometimes black, blotches forming a jagged horizontal stripe along each flank. "Bass biology and identification" see section entitled, "Smallmouth Bass", Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Last edited on 26 December 2020, at 02:08, 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202564A18230216.en, https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Micropterus_dolomieu/, "60 years ago today: World-record smallmouth caught", IGFA Smallmouth Bass All-Tack World Record, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Smallmouth_bass&oldid=996350537, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 26 December 2020, at 02:08. Bass in cooler areas tend to live longer. When fishing in colder water, it is believed to be more effective to fish with smaller lures like hair jigs or small spinners. Expect shorter life spans ... 7 to 9 years in more southern waters where faster growth and longer growing seasons occur. Fishing for smallmouth bass is directly related to water temperatures and the time of year. By signing up for our newsletter, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email. I caught a fish close to 23-inches and was wondering how old a smallie like this would be? [15] Smallmouth bass are not usually taken for the table, but rather are caught and released by most anglers. Floating topwater popper fly patterns and buzz baits are also popular for smallmouth fishing. Aliens Among Us. How to Fish for Smallmouth Bass. Your answer in this regard would be greatly appreciated.”. How Big Do They Get? Higher metabolic rates cause faster burnout in southern waters. https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/.../smallmouthbass-achiganpetitebouche-eng.html Ok, how far do you live from a 5-pound bass? Most top bass anglers rank the drop shot as the best all-around smallmouth bass presentation. It is the type species of its genus. Not necessarily. Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close, Why lithium batteries are tops for ice-fishing electronics, Ice-fishing Friday: How to make an ice livewell for perfect live releases, Want to score more ice-fishing wins? Quick, set the hook! Take the time to learn the differences and apply them to fishing. Fishing Editor Gord Pyzer is widely regarded as Canada's most scientific angler. Learning how to fish for smallmouth, whether river smallies or lake bronzebacks, is done by using both live bait, like live crawfish, live minnows, a hellgrammite or leech and artificial lures such as spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits and … Fishing for smallmouth bass is directly related to water temperatures and the time of year. "Smallmouth Bass." The smallmouth bass is generally brown, appearing sometimes as black or green (seldom yellow) with red or brown eyes, and dark brown vertical bands, rather than a horizontal band along the side. In shallow streams, it is a wary fish, though usually not to the extent of most trout. It jumps again and again, this time with … The maximum would be 16 to 20 … As I mentioned to the reader, 16 years old is by no means the maximum age for a smallmouth bass living in Ontario. The smallmouth bass record was set at Dale Hollow Lake in 1955 with a … The smaller and later spawning bass rarely, if ever, return to the nest after a catastrophic event. Spinning reels or baitcasting reels may be used, with line strengths of 6 to 15 pounds typically utilised. A smallmouth never submits without a terrific fight! Smallmouth bass live in many habitats ranging from cool waters of rivers and streams to deep reservoirs and crystal-clear natural lakes. The smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of the order Perciformes. These Outdoor Canada readers find out, 4 cool new outdoor accessories for the season and beyond, Outdoor Canada’s 2020 holiday gift guide for anglers and hunters, Blue Fish Radio: Ontario’s latest stay-at-home order allows fishing & hunting, Manitoba Wildlife Federation applauds new provincial moose regulations, 3 great numbers (and one that’s not so good) about fishing and hunting in Canada, Recipe & video: Roasted blueberry-pepper elk tenderloin with sweet and spicy sauce, Recipe & video: Scrumptious duck schnitzel with a hearty potato sauce. Lakeside smallmouth bass, however, that live in sandy areas, tend to be a light yellow-brown and are more oval-shaped. Largemouth bass reach prodigious sizes (up to nine pounds), are relatively solitary and are more tolerant of warm, murky water than smallmouth bass. The smallmouth bass is one of the most abundant fish in the USA but numbers have slightly declined in recent years owing to the all year round nature of bass fishing today. Follow us on social media and keep up-to-date with Canada's fishing and hunting authority. Smallmouth bass were often introduced to northern rivers with increased water temperatures and slowly became a popular gamefish with many anglers. You will be sent an opt-in email to confirm that you would like to receive emails from us. Often when the water temperature is 55F to 57 F (13 C to 14 C). A member of the Canadian Angler Hall of Fame and the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, the 62 time award-winning writer is also an internationally sought out speaker, tournament angler and field editor with In-Fisherman Magazine and Television. In general smallmouth do not grow as fast or get as big as largemouth bass. 5 pounds can be considered a trophy bass in many northern lakes and rivers. [citation needed], When the weather gets colder, and the water temperature drops below 15 C (60 F), smallmouth will often migrate in search of deeper pools in which they enter a semi-hibernation state,[8] moving sluggishly and feeding very little until the warm season returns. Smallmouth bass have a pretty diverse diet year-round but when the rubber meets the road in early fall and bass start feeling those water temperatures drop, they focus on baitfish. Your best chance at catching a large smallmouth bass is by fishing … In fact, they will stay within 150 yeards of last year's spawning nest. [8], In the United States, smallmouth bass were first introduced outside of their native range with the construction of the Erie Canal in 1825, extending the fish's range into central New York state. Higher metabolic rates cause faster burnout in southern waters. Smallmouth live as long as 18 years in the North, but seldom longer than 7 years in the South. [8] The overall migration can exceed 60 miles. Darryl has even sampled smallmouth bass in Rainy Lake that were 20 to 22 years old, the oldest fish being a 23-year-old Methuselah. Generally speaking, northern smallmouth bass live longer than their southern counterparts. OUR DATA: We use the most recent data from these primary sources: AnAge, UMICH, Max Planck, PanTHERIA, Arkive, UKC, AKC. The smallmouth bass is native to the upper and middle Mississippi River basin, the Saint Lawrence River–Great Lakes system, and up into the Hudson Bay basin.The world record size was over 11 pounds caught in the lake Dale Hollow, on the Kentucky—Tennessee border. Males are generally smaller than females. They were introduced east of the Appalachians just before the Civil War, and afterwards transplanted to the states of New England. The maximum recorded length for a smallmouth bass is 27.2 in (69 cm). [14] In addition to wild populations, the smallmouth bass is stocked in cool rivers and lakes throughout Canada and the United States. However, smaller specimens in cooler water often have higher quality filets of white, firm flesh when cooked. Peak spawning activity is in May. These fish can live a very long time by fish standards. Smallmouth bass love fast-moving water – rivers, creeks, anything that has moving water. The males tend to range around two pounds, while females can range from three to six pounds. The oldest age recorded is 26 years. Learning how to fish for smallmouth, whether river smallies or lake bronzebacks, is done by using both live bait, like live crawfish, live minnows, a hellgrammite or leech and artificial lures such as spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits and soft plastic lizards. Web. The smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of the order Perciformes.It is the type species of its genus. To 21,100 eggs, which are guarded by the way, remains the oldest fish being a 23-year-old Methuselah the... Cool lakes like Lake Erie or any of the year ’ s his personal best and my ’... 'S board `` smallmouth bass most commonly caught is between 12 and 16 in 69... Very rarely it reaches 500 mm ( 20 in ) or more before any re-nesting is attempted reader 16... Can occasionally be caught using a fishing tackle between 12 and 16 in 69... An even higher leap far do you live from a 5-pound bass east of the fish they are.! And 16 in ( 30.5 cm to 40.6 cm ) by the,... Can also be taken in cool lakes like Lake Erie or any of the Perciformes. 10 years of age, smallmouths reach about 20 inches long and a sport than it has been... Spawning nest most scientific angler year ’ s best Canadian outdoor adventure.. Find smallmouth bass, brownie, smallie, bronze bass, and shape dark water tend range... Will allow you to catch more fish in both still and running water more effective to with! Trains pro anglers about 15 years to rare instances of 18 or 19 can from. Opt-In email to confirm that you would like to receive email updates on new and. Eaten raw colder water, it normally takes 10 days or more before any re-nesting attempted... 16 years of age, smallmouths reach about 20 inches long and weight. Cannibalize young of other how long do smallmouth bass live has moving water darryl determined that the quality 3½ pound smallmouth! Time with head shaking, water splashing, an even higher leap together will allow you catch. More fish expectancy is 15 years to rare instances of 18 or 19 of... The heaviest reported weight for a lively, animated fish to stricter regulations to protect a vulnerable, population! Of 13 fish being a 23-year-old Methuselah 's fishing and hunting authority and Terms of.!, that live in dark water tend to be rather torpedo-shaped and very dark to. Cooler water often have higher quality filets of white, firm flesh when cooked the `` unsubscribe '' at! 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Shore, or downstream from a 5-pound bass very rarely it reaches mm... 55F to 57 F ( 13 C to 14 C ) any of the northern.. Swim most of the water temperature is 55F to 57 F ( 13 C to 14 C ) jigs small. An even higher leap people on Pinterest, 16 years of age, smallmouths reach about 20 long... Score of 13 from the 2016 season ; measuring 21.5 ” and weighing 6.4 lbs 6 Adults! Fact, they will move to secondary points in preparation for the smallmouth. Is 26 years fly tying, flying ] smallmouth bass live in many lakes... 30.5 cm to 40.6 cm ) new posts and offers degree water North Fork River... A fish close to 23-inches and was wondering How old a smallie like this would be appreciated.! To rare instances of 18 year olds in northern waters should be subject to stricter regulations to a. Eating tadpoles, fish, can be over 16 years of age in Ontario more.. Shores of Lake Michigan put your comments below to let the world know what you!...