Challenge of Smallmouth Bass Fishing

CANADA

Canada serves as the world’s best fishing grounds. Summer season starts in March and closes by the end of July. (“Fishing Techniques and Tips”)

Many sport fishers go to Vancouver Island to find Halibut, King Salmon, Ocelot and Feeder Chinooks apart from Bass. The diverse availability of fish within the borders of Canada has made it an extremely popular destination for anglers.

Canada’s reputation as an excellent fishing ground grants many opportunities to the tourism and fishing industry but it also becomes a problem as the country’s resources are at stake. (“Fishing Techniques and Tips: 2012”)With the summer season opening in March and ending in late July. Most anglers head for the types of fish found within Canadian border. What is more to this?

The act of catching fish is called Fishing. It is a form of relaxation, leisure and sometimes a sport, called sport fishing otherwise known as angling, which has been derived from the ancient English term angel meaning “fishhook”. (“Fishing Techniques and Tips”)

Northwestern Ontario is globally renowned for its consistent supply of Bass fish. But there is a lot of fun and adventure involved in indulging in the Northern Pike and fighting Muskie., the Yellow Perch and tasty walleye.

The breathtakingly clean lake serves as a fishing ground in all seasons. Your fishing will suffice most days, however, even on slower days, the Canadian wilderness itself is bound to be a cherish able experience. (“Bass Fishing In Canada – Exciting Fishing Spots”)

Angle for bass, muskie, walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, and lake trout at one of Canada’s top ranked resorts situated in Northwest Ontario. It is ranked #28 in the world for fishing, and #1 for combined muskie and walleye fishing. (“Fishing Techniques and Tips”)

“Though Bass is the normal name for many fishes, it does not qualify as the equivalent for any scientific classification.” (“Fishing Techniques and Tips: 2012”) A diverse variety of bass fish are called rock, black or white bass. The “Smallish” are otherwise called the small fighters and are fun to catch.

One among the most popular sports associated with fishing is Bass fishing. The bass family, which includes Black, White, Striped, Smallmouth, Largemouth and Spotted, start innumerable anglers every season. Its popularity has created a million-dollar industry within itself, apart from the industries of various other forms of sport fishing. The availability of boats designed especially for bass fishing emphasizes this point further. (“Fishing Techniques and Tips: 2012”)

The Smallmouth bass are found from Ontario’s Great Lakes shoals to scenic, glacial lakes of the Canadian Shield and in thousands of rivers, creeks, and lakes in between. Smallmouths are in warmer water bodies with shallow cover, whether it be weeds and wood or rocky outcrops. In lakes with varied habitats, smallmouth territory overlaps with that of smallmouth bass, making for diverse angling action.

However, the smallmouth basses are the tastiest fish in Ontario and are worth every pound. At sunset, the lakes come live with these little fighters eagerly waiting to take the bait and add some action.

The immense number of Smallies in the area have made Sunset Country one among the first fishing locations exclusively for basses. Also, there are numerous lakes with a large population of basses, making the area extremely popular among serious anglers, who have a wide choice to choose from. (“Fishing Techniques and Tips”)

Smallmouth bass are usually in more open water, where you can use light to medium-action 6- to 7-foot spinning rods and 6- to 10-pound-test lines. Fly-rodders also find these smallmouth bass eagers to take top-water poppers or minnow-shaped streamers when the fish are in shallow water. In summer, deep underwater points, rocky shoals, submerged islands, and weed edges are the places to catch these hard-fighting, tail-walking fish.

Soft-plastic twister-tail, tube, and shad jig bodies on one-eighth- to three-eighths-ounce heads are the most common smallmouth bass lures. Good jig colors are black, smoke, purple, amber, yellow, and white. Bounce jigs along bottom, while retrieving or drifting with the wind over potential hotspots. One trick is to allow a tube jig to settle on bottom, then release 20 to 40 yards (18 to 36 m) of line. As the boat drifts, nudge the bait along, as you feel for a strike.

This technique is particularly useful in clear, deep water for spooky smallmouth bass. (“Ontario Bass Fishing | Fishing Tips and Techniques for …”) Smallmouth bass are particularly fond of crayfish, especially soft shells that have just mounted.

Smallmouth tactics that work elsewhere are also effective in Ontario. Fishing varies from flip and-pitch techniques around shallow, matted weeds, docks, and stumps, to exciting top-water action on jerk baits, poppers, and floating plastic worms. Crawling spinner baits or retrieving shallow-running crank baits along sub-merged weed patches also pay off. Bass of both species in deeper water can be taken with diving crank baits, Carolina-rigged soft-plastic baits, and jigs. “Although some southern lakes or rivers are turbid, clear water is normal in Ontario.” (“Bass Fishing Tales”)

Bait casting tackle spooled with 12- to 20-pound line is ideal around heavy cover for smallmouth in stained waters. Light spinning tackle, though, is often necessary to fool smallmouths in clear water on sunny days. (“Fishing News and Reviews: 02/10”)

In these conditions, thin, yet strong, braided, or fused line and small plastic worms, grubs, or jigs can jump-start the action, while allowing you to manage fish around cover. Live bait is effective for both species. Leeches, minnows, and juicy nightcrawlers rigged beneath a float or with split shot on the bottom will draw strikes.

Start of Spring Smallmouth bass love rock and spend more than ninety percent of their time on this hard structure. Post-spawn smallmouth will remain close to shallow rocky areas of the lake until the temperature of the water warms considerably.

Islands, points, and shoals are the three preferred spots to begin your smallmouth bass search, starting each area up shallow and moving deeper until you connect with fish. (“Canadian Smallmouth Bass Fishing | Best Fishing in Ontario”)

Top-water plugs, crankbaits and jigs are the preferred baits early in the season and “matching the hatch” by using crayfish colored is a sure bet to entice fish into the boat.

Comes Summer fishing can often be a “hit and miss” attempt due to whereabouts of the fish during this time. (“Ontario Fishing Tips”) Early morning and evening periods will usually find fish in shallow water aggressively feeding – this is where top waters really excel and will lead to heart-stopping explosions on the surface.

Daytime smallmouth will retreat to the safety of deeper water and will relate to depths from six to thirty feet deep. The one thing they will relate to is structure and having a dependable fish finder on board will become your underwater eyes. (“Smallmouth Bass fishing in Ontario”)

Look for humps, shelves and drop offs and work a jig over these underwater magnets. “Due to the schooling nature of the smallmouth bass, once one is caught, there are sure to be more to come.” (“Smallmouth Bass fishing in Ontario”)

The fall time means one thing to a bass angler – BIG smallmouth.

Fish at this time of year gorge themselves on crayfish and minnows in anticipation of the chilly winter months. Searching for these hungry fish is the key to catching them and concentrating on some of the spots you had success on earlier in the season will help you unlock the location factor. (“Smallmouth Bass Fishing | Ontario Bass Fishing”)

Points, saddles, and shoals will hold smallmouth at this time of the year; however, the school will be situated farther from shore and in deeper water in comparison to their summer counterparts. Begin your search by finding water in the 20-foot depth and continue working until you hit thirty-five feet. (“Waterfalls Lodge Canada Fishing Gear List and Tips”)

“Most of your fall fish will relate to water this deep and once you catch some, the remainder of the lakes’ fish will be holding at this magical depth.” (“Smallmouth Bass Fishing | Ontario Bass Fishing”)

Rattle traps, cranks and jigs are the artillery for the fall enthusiast and using a marker buoy to stay with the school and at the optimum depth will increase your chances of connecting. Locating and catching smallmouth is a challenge.

See Tomorow: “Bass Fishing Adventures”

Regards, Coyalita

Share on Social Media