Bill RiversThe Perfect Gamefish"Pound for pound, the toughest gamefish in Canada is ... ?" | |
| Any serious angler worth his tackle box could complete this oft-quoted saw without a moment's hesitation ... "the smallmouth bass" ... a.k.a. the black bass, brown bass, green bass, redeye bass, Oswego bass, green trout, smallie or bronzeback. Micropterus dolomieu to be scientifically correct. Mini but mighty. | |
 | Little wonder that the smallmouth bass ranks so highly among Canada's sportfish. Besides being willing hitters of both artificial lures and live baits, smallmouths often accentuate the challenge and experience of catching them with explosive topwater hits, spectacular aerial displays, persistent and generally unpredictable escape strategies. It is difficult to adequately describe the special triumph of lippin' a good one. Unforgettable, too. Although widespread across the southern tier of every province except Newfoundland, the smallmouth bass would undoubtedly secure the # 1 ranking among anglers (currently enjoyed by walleyes) if it were more widely available, especially further north. Often found close to shore, in shallow water, tight to structure and cover, locating smallmouth bass is usually easily accomplished. Once found, anglers can fish bronzebacks just about any way they like - with topwater plugs, soft plastics, live-bait rigs, crankbaits, trolling, casting, jigging. |
| Canadian smallies, while slow growers, reach world-class proportions - the Canadian record fish from Birchbark Lake, ON, pulled the scales down to 9.84 pounds - and 6, even 7-pound bass are caught throughout their range every season. Smallmouth bass are both excellent live-release candidates and widely savoured table fare. Seemingly indifferent to the weather and waves, these incredible gamefish seem always to be on the bite and obligingly entertain river anglers, blue-water walleye trollers and worm dunkers alike. |  |
| Given that Lake Erie is the undisputed best smallmouth bass lake in Canada - maybe the world - in terms of both numbers of bass and size (the current world live-release record is a Lake Erie smallie), it seems destined to produce the next Canadian record fish - soon. Lots of bass; trophy bass; smallmouth bass - maybe the ultimate sportfish - wouldn't you agree. | |