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Clear water • rock and current
Ontario Smallmouth Bass
Bronzebacks, rocky water and some of the hardest fights in freshwater.
Ontario record: 9.84 lb
The Ontario water
Ontario record: 9.84 lb
For aerial leaps and hard pulls, few fish compare with the smallmouth bass. Many anglers rate the bronzeback as one of Ontario's strongest fish pound for pound.
Smallmouth bass prefer cool, clear and rocky lakes and rivers. They eat plenty of crayfish, so rocks, pebbles and boulders are always worth fishing. Points, reefs, current seams and sharp drop-offs can all hold fish.
Jigs and smallmouth bass belong together. Tubes, twister tails and shad-style plastics mimic crayfish and baitfish. Brown, black, smoke and orange are proven colours in rocky water.
FIELD NOTE
Match the food around rock
Topwater poppers and walking baits bring exciting strikes when fish are shallow. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits cover water, while a tube or small jig can pick apart a reef. Keep moving until you contact fish, then slow down and work that area carefully.
Watch Ontario fishing
Two videos. One next-trip idea.
Dave Mercer: Heavy-Cover Bass
Techniques for fishing weeds and thick largemouth cover.
Quick answers
Ontario fishing FAQ
Where should I look for smallmouth bass?
Start on rocky points, shoals, boulder banks and current areas in cool, clear lakes and rivers.
What is a good smallmouth lure?
A tube jig in a crayfish colour is one of the most dependable choices in Ontario.
Keep planning
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