Freshwater · Spring through fall; prespawn is prime
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
Pound for pound the hardest-fighting freshwater fish in the Northwest. Smallmouth live on rock and eat crawfish imitations year-round.
Where they live
In this guide: Fraser Valley, BC · Okanagan, BC · Seattle, WA.
How to catch them
Ned rig and tube on rock
Rig: 1/8-1/4 oz mushroom head with a 2.75" stick bait, or a tube
Bait/lure: Green pumpkin plastics
Key tip: Drag it slowly. If you feel rock, you are in the zone.
Drop shot over humps
Rig: Drop shot, 3/8 oz weight, small finesse worm
Bait/lure: 4" finesse worms, shad baits
Key tip: Shake in place; smallmouth cannot leave it alone.
Baseline setup
- Rod: 7' medium spinning rod
- Line: 10 lb braid to 8 lb fluorocarbon leader
- Terminal: Ned heads, tubes, drop-shot weights
Recommended gear for this species
Rod · Best value
7'3" medium-heavy casting rod
≈ US$100-150
One rod for jigs, Texas rigs and frogs — the bass workhorse.
Reel · Budget
7.1:1 baitcasting reel
≈ US$80-120
Fast retrieve for pitching and quickly taking up slack on hooksets.
Line · Budget
15 lb fluorocarbon (200 yd)
≈ US$18-25
Invisible in clear water, sensitive on rock, abrasion resistant.
Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.
Plan a trip for Smallmouth Bass
Build today's plan