| Smallmouth bass can be found in Ontario's Great | | | | ability to dive quickly to awesome depths. That's |
| Lakes as well as the glacial lakes of the Canadian | | | | how bass fishing becomes a habit and compulsion |
| Shield and in a number of rivers, creeks, and lakes | | | | that is hard to give up and why bass fishermen |
| in this beautiful Canadian province. | | | | keep migrating back to Ontario for return visits. |
| Largemouth bass are commonly found in warmer | | | | After battling one of these determined creatures |
| bodies of water with shallow cover, usually | | | | the average fisherman is always surprised to find |
| comprised of fallen timber and weeds or stone | | | | that the average length for a smallmouth ranges |
| outcrops. Some of the lakes with mixed habitat | | | | between only ten and about twenty inches. The |
| result in the largemouth region intersecting and | | | | current Canadian record for the biggest |
| co-mingling with that of smallmouth, making for a | | | | smallmouth bass caught in Ontario is a little over |
| variety of fishing opportunities. | | | | ten pounds. |
| In Ontario, smallmouth bass fishing success is | | | | In terms of the better types of lures to use, |
| usually optimised in more open water, where you | | | | crawling spinnerbaits or retrieving shallow-running |
| can utilize light to medium-action six to ten pound | | | | crankbaits along the sub-merged weed patches |
| test lines and normally a six foot spinning rod. The | | | | are very effective. Both species of bass found in |
| fly fisherman will also find smallmouth bass eager | | | | in deeper water are attracted to diving crankbaits. |
| to attack top-water poppers or minnow-shaped | | | | Largemouth tecniques employed in most other |
| ribbons in a shallow water setting. | | | | locations are also effective in Ontario. Tactics |
| During the Canadian summer, deep underwater | | | | vary from flip-and-pitch styles used in the shallow |
| points, submerged islands, rocky shoals and weed | | | | weed beds, docks, and stumps, to the exciting |
| bed edges are the prime locations to snag these | | | | top-water stroke on jerkbaits, poppers, and |
| agile and spectacular fighting species of bass. | | | | hovering plastic worms. |
| Ontario smallmouth bass fishing is somewhat | | | | If you have never fished for smallmouth in |
| unique when compared to other bass fishing | | | | Ontario there are a few points to remember. |
| settings. In the rugged Northern Ontario lakes and | | | | Keep in mind that Ontario smallmouth bass fishing |
| rivers where some of the best medal smallmouth | | | | is a little different from the the largemouth bass |
| bass fishing can be experienced, smallmouths | | | | experience. If you are used to fishing largemouth |
| favor the unsteady clear lakes with little plant life | | | | primarily in weed beds, you will find the |
| and congregate in shoreline rocks and points. But | | | | smallmouth bass would rather hide out where the |
| don't limit your fishing to the shoreline as some of | | | | rock ledges drop suddenly. The popular baits are |
| the prize catches can be had in the deeper water. | | | | crawfish, minnow, leeches and hellgrammites. You |
| If you really want to experience the great | | | | will likely have success using everything that |
| remote areas you can charter with Wilderness Air | | | | resembles a minnow such as plastic worms or |
| and fly in to your own exclusive lake. You can | | | | flag flies. |
| bunk in a deluxe outpost cabin, which are very | | | | Also when fishing for Ontario smallmouth bass |
| well maintained and comfortable. Wilderness Air | | | | you will usually find schools of fish about the same |
| charters is one of the best ways to experience | | | | size so if you are not satisfied with the size of |
| the Ontario smallmouth bass fishing challenge! | | | | fish taken from a given location you should |
| Smallmouth bass derived their name from the | | | | probably move on to a fresh spot. If you' are |
| anotomical fact that the rear end of the lower | | | | releasing live bait from your boat use as many |
| jaw does not extend past the eye, while the | | | | lines as is permissible. |
| lower part of the jaw of a largemouth does. | | | | The season from the middle of June through to |
| There is also a low notch linking the dorsal fins to | | | | the fall is the best time to plan your trip to |
| the body that resembles a series of dark broken | | | | Ontario. In the early part of the season the |
| bars. | | | | smallmouths are often found on the shallower |
| The smallmouth bass typically matures between | | | | beds, and by fall they are found in the 10 to 20 |
| the ages of roughly two and four years and | | | | foot deeper waters. At that time you should |
| often has a life span of over ten years. On a light | | | | group rattletraps, cranks and jigs, and float a |
| line, the Ontario smallmouth bass is a fierce | | | | marker buoy to mark the school area. |
| competitor and pound for pound one of the best | | | | Try it once and I guarantee you will be telling your |
| battles in Canadian angling. First time bass | | | | friends and planning a return trip next season to |
| fishermen are always shocked by the dramatic | | | | Ontario Canada. |
| and frequent jumps coupled with the powerful | | | | |