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Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass are a non-native species in California, first introduced in 1874 when fish from Champlain, New York were placed into the Napa River.

They thrive primarily in Northern California's cooler waters, including large clear lakes and cool clear streams with abundant cover.

Physical Characteristics:
  • California's current state record is 9 pounds, 13 ounces from Pardee Reservoir in 2007.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • In streams, they prefer complex habitat with pools, riffles, runs, rocky bottoms, and overhanging trees, while lake populations concentrate in narrow bays where rocky shelves project underwater.

Key Locations

  • Prime waters include Folsom Lake, Lake Almanor, Lake Berryessa, Trinity Lake, Lake Shasta, and Pardee Lake.
  • Key locations include Folsom Lake's North Fork American River area, Lake Berryessa's rocky creek channels, Clear Lake's vegetation structures, and the upper Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
  • Russian River for river fishing.

Specific Spots

  • Target granite drops and rocky structure, rock piles and stumps in 10-25 feet of water, rocky creek channels, vegetation structures.

Smallmouth Bass FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for Smallmouth Bass in California?

4-inch Senko worms (wacky-rigged), drop-shot rigs with finesse worms, Coffee Tubes with tube jigs, small poppers like Rebel Pop-Rs, crankbaits in crawfish patterns, spinnerbaits, and jigging spoons. Match lure colors to local forage like crawfish and pond smelt.

What flies work for Smallmouth Bass in California?

crawfish patterns, small streamers, marabou hair jigs (1/32 oz), and hellgrammite patterns.

When is the best time to fish for Smallmouth Bass in California?

The best fishing for California Smallmouth Bass occurs from April through October, with peak action in spring (April-May) and early summer. Summer fishing requires early morning and late evening approaches. Fall presents excellent opportunities as fish move shallow to feed aggressively before winter.

How do you catch Smallmouth Bass in California?

Target sandy, gravelly shorelines and rocky points in spring when they're most active. Use wacky-rigged presentations, drop-shot rigs, jigging spoons when fish are deeper, weedless presentations with lighter weights to avoid snags for river fishing. Target deeper structures like ledges and drop-offs in summer.

What do Smallmouth Bass eat?

Their diet shifts from crustaceans and aquatic insects as juveniles to crayfish and fish as they reach 10-15 cm. They're opportunistic feeders that also consume insects, amphibians, and small mammals.

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