Smallmouth Description
The smallmouth (Micropterus dolomieui) is more bronze or brown in color than the
largemouth, and its side markings look like vertical bars ( looks tiger striped). Also,
it has a smaller mouth than the largemouth, and its jaw does not extend beyond
the eye. The eye has red in it and the largemouths don't. Smallmouths prefer
deeper, clearer, cooler water with rocky structure. They are
seldom found in stagnant ponds or murky lakes shallower than 25 feet.
In addition to clear waters, the smallmouth bass loves to hold in a
moderately swift current. In rivers and streams they stay away from the swiftest
sections, where the trout might hold, but prefer pools with a noticeable current
to those that are completely stagnant. Like their cousins, smallmouths like
heavy structure, such a boulders, rock beds, tree trunks and bridge abutments,
but stay away from the heavy weedbeds that largemouths love so much.
Crawfish and insects are most important in their diet. But they do eat
baitfish when available. The world record smallmouth weighed 11 pounds, 15
ounces, and most state records are between 7 and 9 pounds.
largemouth, and its side markings look like vertical bars ( looks tiger striped). Also,
it has a smaller mouth than the largemouth, and its jaw does not extend beyond
the eye. The eye has red in it and the largemouths don't. Smallmouths prefer
deeper, clearer, cooler water with rocky structure. They are
seldom found in stagnant ponds or murky lakes shallower than 25 feet.
In addition to clear waters, the smallmouth bass loves to hold in a
moderately swift current. In rivers and streams they stay away from the swiftest
sections, where the trout might hold, but prefer pools with a noticeable current
to those that are completely stagnant. Like their cousins, smallmouths like
heavy structure, such a boulders, rock beds, tree trunks and bridge abutments,
but stay away from the heavy weedbeds that largemouths love so much.
Crawfish and insects are most important in their diet. But they do eat
baitfish when available. The world record smallmouth weighed 11 pounds, 15
ounces, and most state records are between 7 and 9 pounds.
Smallmouth Bass
![Picture](/uploads/1/9/7/0/19701521/7450277.jpg)
This smallmouth was caught below the Mouth of Wilson Dam in Virginia. The bait of choice was a panther martin spinner.