Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
Pound for pound, the smallmouth bass is considered one of the hardest-fighting freshwater fish, known for spectacular jumps when hooked. It favors clearer, cooler water than its largemouth cousin and is commonly found around rocky points, gravel bars, and current seams.
Rocky bottoms, gravel bars, and moderate current in clear, cool water.
How to Catch Smallmouth Bass
Whether you're new to targeting Smallmouth Bass or refining your approach, success starts with matching your tactics to where the fish lives. Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is typically found in lake water, river water, and reservoir water, so concentrate your effort where those conditions line up. Mature Smallmouth Bass average around 14 inches, which helps you choose the right line, lure size, and tackle for the fight.
Where to Find Smallmouth Bass in the USA & Canada
Smallmouth Bass is recorded across a range of North American waters, including spots in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Rhode Island, Saskatchewan, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Browse the linked water guides below to see the specific lakes, rivers, and coastal waters where anglers report catching Smallmouth Bass, then plan a trip around the water closest to you.
Smallmouth Bass Fishing Regulations & Limits
Fishing rules for Smallmouth Bass vary by state and province. Before you head out, check the daily bag limits, minimum size limits, and open seasons that apply in your area. When FishFinder has matching records, the regulations link below takes you to the rules hub. Following local limits keeps Smallmouth Bass populations healthy for future seasons.
Related Water Guides for Smallmouth Bass
Explore these FishFinder water guides for places where Smallmouth Bass is recorded:
- Lake Michigan — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Erie — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mississippi River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Yellowstone River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Columbia River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Ontario — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rideau Lakes — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake of the Woods — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rainy Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Eagle Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wabigoon Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Nipissing — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Temagami — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lady Evelyn Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- French River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Manitou — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Georgian Bay — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Opeongo — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Muskoka — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Rosseau — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Joseph — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Simcoe — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Nottawasaga River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Saugeen River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Grand River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pigeon Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Balsam Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rice Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Long Point Bay — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake St. Clair — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Bay of Quinte — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Niagara River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- St. Lawrence River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Big Rideau Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Ottawa River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Osoyoos Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rafferty Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Boundary Dam Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- West Hawk Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Falcon Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Crowduck Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Winnipeg River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Shoal Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Fleuve Saint-Laurent — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lac des Deux Montagnes — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rivière des Outaouais — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rivière des Mille Îles — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lac Saint-François — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rivière Richelieu — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rivière Saint-Maurice — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lac Aylmer — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lac Memphrémagog — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Grand lac Saint-François — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lac Massawippi — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rivière Chaudière — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lac Archambault — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lac Ouareau — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lac Manitou — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lac des Trente et Un Milles — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Grand lac Nominingue — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lac Blue Sea — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rivière Gatineau — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lac Kipawa — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Réservoir Decelles — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Réservoir Taureau — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Saint John River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Kennebecasis River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Hammond River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Nashwaak River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mactaquac Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Grand Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Oromocto River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Meduxnekeag River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- St. Croix River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Spednic Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Magaguadavic Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Utopia — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Harvey Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Tobique River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Aroostook River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mira River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lochaber Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Shubenacadie Grand Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Sherbrooke Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Porters Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Big Mushamush Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mersey River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Tusket River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wentworth Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Rossignol — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Medway River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Milo — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Gaspereau Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Aylesford Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Panuke Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Black River Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Shortts Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Guntersville — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wheeler Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wilson Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pickwick Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Powell — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Mead — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Mohave — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Havasu — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Colorado River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Theodore Roosevelt Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Apache Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Chevelon Canyon Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Becker Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Bull Shoals Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Norfork — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Beaver Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Greers Ferry Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Ouachita — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- DeGray Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Greeson — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Buffalo National River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Caddo River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Eleven Point River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Spring River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Shasta Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Oroville — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Folsom Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Berryessa — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- New Melones Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Diamond Valley Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Sonoma — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pine Flat Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Almanor — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Sacramento River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Feather River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- American River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Navajo Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Yampa River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Chatfield Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pueblo Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Horsetooth Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Candlewood Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Lillinonah — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Zoar — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Squantz Pond — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Highland Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Gardner Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Coventry Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Twin Lakes — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- West Hill Pond — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mashapaug Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Housatonic River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Connecticut River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- White Clay Creek — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Hartwell — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Blue Ridge — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wailua Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wahiawā Reservoir (Lake Wilson) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Pend Oreille — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Coeur d'Alene Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Dworshak Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Cascade — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- C.J. Strike Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Brownlee Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Snake River (Hells Canyon) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Magic Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Big Wood River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- American Falls Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mississippi River (Illinois-Iowa Border) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Illinois River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Michigan (Illinois Waters) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Fox Chain O'Lakes — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Heidecke Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Braidwood Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- LaSalle Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Powerton Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Clinton Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Shelbyville — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Sangchris Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Decatur — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Springfield — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Coffeen Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Carlyle Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rend Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Kinkaid Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Crab Orchard Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Ohio River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wabash River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- White River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Tippecanoe River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- St. Joseph River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Sugar Creek — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Blue River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Michigan (Indiana Waters) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Brookville Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Wawasee — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- West Okoboji Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Spirit Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mississippi River (Iowa Waters) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Missouri River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Big Sioux River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Cedar River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Des Moines River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Iowa River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Upper Iowa River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Turkey River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Milford Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wilson Reservoir (Kansas) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Clinton Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Perry Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- El Dorado Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Glen Elder Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Melvern Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Cedar Bluff Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Big Hill Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Kansas River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Kentucky Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Barkley — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Cumberland — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Dale Hollow Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Barren River Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Cave Run Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Green River Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Taylorsville Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Nolin River Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rough River Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Laurel River Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Grayson Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Buckhorn Lake (Kentucky) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Dewey Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Fishtrap Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Yatesville Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Herrington Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Cumberland River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Kentucky River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Elkhorn Creek — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Green River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Sebago Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Moosehead Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- East Grand Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- West Grand Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Grand Lake Stream — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Kennebec River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Great Pond — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- China Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Damariscotta Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pushaw Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Androscoggin River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Saco River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Deep Creek Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Youghiogheny River Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Youghiogheny River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- North Branch Potomac River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Potomac River (Upper) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Monocacy River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Patapsco River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Liberty Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Loch Raven Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Prettyboy Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Conowingo Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Triadelphia Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rocky Gap Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Quabbin Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wachusett Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Onota Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pontoosuc Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Chaubunagungamaug — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Cochituate — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Deerfield River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Millers River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Westfield River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Ware River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Quaboag River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Housatonic River (Massachusetts) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Connecticut River (Massachusetts) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Merrimack River (Massachusetts) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake St. Clair (Michigan) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- St. Clair River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Detroit River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Saginaw Bay — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Erie (Michigan) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Houghton Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Higgins Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Torch Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Burt Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mullett Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Black Lake (Michigan) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Gull Lake (Michigan) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Gun Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Otsego Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Gogebic — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Tahquamenon River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mille Lacs Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Vermilion — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Kabetogama — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Gull Lake Chain — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Minnetonka — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Whitefish Chain — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pelican Lake (St. Louis County) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rainy Lake (Minnesota) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rainy River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Basswood Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Saganaga Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Namakan Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- St. Croix River (Minnesota) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Pepin — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- St. Louis River Estuary — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Red River of the North — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Big Stone Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pickwick Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake of the Ozarks — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Harry S. Truman Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Table Rock Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Bull Shoals Lake (Missouri) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Norfork Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Stockton Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Current River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Eleven Point River (Missouri) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- North Fork of the White River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Meramec River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Big Piney River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Gasconade River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Jacks Fork River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- James River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Elk River (Missouri) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Niangua River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mississippi River (Pools 20-26) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Noxon Rapids Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Missouri River (Montana) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Bighorn Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Fort Peck Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Tongue River Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake McConaughy — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Ogallala — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Merritt Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Elwood Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lewis and Clark Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Missouri River (Nebraska Waters) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Box Butte Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Minatare — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Two Rivers SRA — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Sutherland Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Johnson Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Maloney — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wildhorse Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Mead (Nevada) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Mohave (Nevada) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Colorado River below Davis Dam — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Winnipesaukee — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Squam Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Newfound Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Sunapee Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Winnisquam Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Ossipee Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Merrymeeting Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Conway Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Nubanusit Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Silver Lake (New Hampshire) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Spofford Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Waukewan — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Massabesic Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pleasant Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Umbagog Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Great East Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Androscoggin River (New Hampshire) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Connecticut River (New Hampshire) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Merrimack River (New Hampshire) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lamprey River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Contoocook River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pemigewasset River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Magalloway River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Hopatcong — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Greenwood Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Round Valley Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Merrill Creek Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Spruce Run Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Monksville Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Splitrock Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Aeroflex — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Wawayanda — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- White Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Delaware River (New Jersey) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Raritan River South Branch — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Raritan River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Ramapo River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Navajo Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Abiquiu Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Conchas Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Ute Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rio Grande — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Erie (New York) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Ontario (New York) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- St. Lawrence River (New York) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Upper Niagara River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Champlain — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Seneca Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Cayuga Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Keuka Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Canandaigua Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Owasco Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Skaneateles Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Otisco Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Oneida Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake George (New York) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Schroon Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Great Sacandaga Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Chautauqua Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Black Lake (New York) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Otsego Lake (New York) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Ashokan Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pepacton Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Neversink Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Whitney Point Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Delaware River (New York) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Hudson River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Chatuge — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Santeetlah — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Fontana Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Nantahala Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake James — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Gaston — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- New River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Dan River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Tuckasegee River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- South Fork New River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Linville River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Apalachia Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Catawba River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Sakakawea — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Oahe — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Missouri River (North Dakota) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Audubon — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Jamestown Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Maumee River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Sandusky River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Ohio River (Ohio) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pymatuning Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Alum Creek Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Berlin Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Salt Fork Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Paint Creek Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Caesar Creek Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Seneca Lake (Ohio) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mad River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Clear Fork Mohican River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Clear Creek — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Texoma — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Tenkiller — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Broken Bow Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Illinois River (Oklahoma) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Willamette River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Henry Hagg Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Umpqua River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Billy Chinook — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- John Day River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Umatilla River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Presque Isle Bay — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Delaware River (Pennsylvania) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Susquehanna River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Juniata River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Allegheny River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Youghiogheny River (Pennsylvania) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Raystown Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Wallenpaupack — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Arthur — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Nockamixon Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Blue Marsh Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Shenango River Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Harveys Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pine Creek — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pawcatuck River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Blackstone River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Beach Pond — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wallum Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Keowee — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Jocassee — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Chattooga River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Sharpe — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Francis Case — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Waubay Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Enemy Swim Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- James River (South Dakota) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Angostura Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Belle Fourche Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Old Hickory Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- J. Percy Priest Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Cordell Hull Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Tims Ford Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Center Hill Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Chickamauga Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Nickajack Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Watts Bar Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Parksville Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Fort Loudoun Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Melton Hill Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Norris Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Cherokee Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Douglas Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Boone Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- South Holston Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Watauga Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Elk River (Tennessee) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Duck River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- O.H. Ivie Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Devils River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Amistad — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Whitney — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Possum Kingdom Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Belton — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Flaming Gorge Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Jordanelle Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Deer Creek Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Utah Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Starvation Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Pineview Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Green River (Utah) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Sand Hollow Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Quail Creek Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Minersville Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Smith Mountain Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Buggs Island Lake (Kerr Reservoir) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Claytor Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Moomaw — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Flannagan Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Leesville Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Philpott Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- James River (Virginia) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Shenandoah River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Clinch River (Virginia) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Staunton River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Jackson River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Smith River (Virginia) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- North Fork Holston River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Roosevelt — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Banks Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Moses Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Potholes Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Rufus Woods Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Chelan — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Washington (Seattle) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Sammamish — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Silver Lake (Cowlitz County) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Riffe Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Snake River (Washington) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Yakima River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Ohio River (West Virginia) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Kanawha River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- New River (West Virginia) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Greenbrier River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Elk River (West Virginia) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Gauley River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Monongahela River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- South Branch Potomac River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Summersville Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Cheat Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Stonewall Jackson Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Bluestone Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Beech Fork Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mount Storm Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- R.D. Bailey Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- North Bend Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Burnsville Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Stonecoal Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Winnebago — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wolf River (Wisconsin) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Green Bay — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lower Fox River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Michigan (Wisconsin Waters) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Superior (Wisconsin Waters) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Mississippi River (Wisconsin-Minnesota Boundary) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- St. Croix River (Wisconsin) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Menominee River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Chippewa Flowage — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Turtle-Flambeau Flowage — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Flambeau River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Namekagon River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Eagle River Chain of Lakes — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Minocqua Chain — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Wisconsin River — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Petenwell — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Castle Rock Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Lake Mendota — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Geneva Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Big Green Lake — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Boysen Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Keyhole Reservoir (Wyoming) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Glendo Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Grayrocks Reservoir — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
- Palisades Reservoir (Wyoming) — Smallmouth Bass fishing water
Smallmouth Bass Regulations
Review current FishFinder regulation records before targeting Smallmouth Bass:
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of water is best for catching Smallmouth Bass?
Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is typically found in lake water, river water, and reservoir water. Focus your effort where those conditions line up to improve your chances.
How big does Smallmouth Bass get?
Mature Smallmouth Bass average around 14 inches, though individual fish can run larger. Matching your line, lure size, and tackle to that range makes for a better fight and landing rate.
Where can I catch Smallmouth Bass in the USA and Canada?
Smallmouth Bass is reported across North American waters, including spots in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Rhode Island, Saskatchewan, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Check the locations listed on this page to find the lakes, rivers, and coastal waters closest to you.
Do I need a fishing license to catch Smallmouth Bass?
A valid fishing license is required in most US states and Canadian provinces. Daily bag limits, minimum size limits, and open seasons for Smallmouth Bass vary by region, so review the regulations on this page and with your local wildlife authority before heading out.