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Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass in Mississippi are characterized by their slender build with a projecting lower jaw that never extends beyond the eyes.

They display distinctive bronze coloration with olive green or brown heads and backs, cream to white bellies, and yellowish-green sides marked with vertical bronze bars.

Dark brown markings run down both sides of the head, with at least three dark lines visible on the cheeks. These bronze-backed fighters can reach lengths over 24 inches and weights approaching 8 pounds.

Scientific Name: Micropterus dolomieu

Physical Characteristics:
  • Smallmouth Bass are characterized by their slender build with a projecting lower jaw that never extends beyond the eyes.
  • They display distinctive bronze coloration with olive green or brown heads and backs, cream to white bellies, and yellowish-green sides marked with vertical bronze bars.
  • Dark brown markings run down both sides of the head, with at least three dark lines visible on the cheeks.
  • These bronze-backed fighters can reach lengths over 24 inches and weights approaching 8 pounds.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • They prefer cool, clear streams and reservoirs with rock or gravel bottoms, thriving in cooler water temperatures than their largemouth cousins.

Key Locations

  • In Mississippi, Smallmouth Bass have extremely limited distribution, found only in the Tennessee River and Bear Creek systems, with Pickwick Lake being the primary fishery.
  • They also inhabit Bay Springs Lake, the only waterbody entirely within Mississippi that holds smallmouth populations.
  • Target Pickwick Lake's rocky areas, especially around Sevenmile Island in the northern section.
  • Focus on Yellow Creek, the connection between Pickwick Lake and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.
  • At Bay Springs Lake, concentrate efforts in Piney Grove on the west side, the Five Fingers area on the east side, major cove backs, flats, secondary points, and the canal section below the lake.

Specific Spots

  • Target rocky shorelines, drop-offs, submerged timber, gravel points, brush piles, and areas with current breaks.
  • Rocky areas where rock structure and current create ideal smallmouth habitat.
  • Rocky bottoms in deeper water, shallow stumps and gravel beds.

Smallmouth Bass FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

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

Effective lures include crankbaits, jigs, minnows, and crayfish patterns (both artificial and natural). Soft plastic crawfish lures work exceptionally well along rocky bottoms in deeper water, while crankbaits and topwater lures produce near shallow stumps and gravel beds.

What flies work for Smallmouth Bass in Mississippi?

For fly fishing, crayfish patterns like the RK Craw excel during summer and fall in stable or low water conditions, while baitfish patterns are most effective in spring and higher water when covering large areas. Small terrestrial patterns can be productive in clear, shallow water during fall.

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

The best smallmouth bass fishing in Mississippi occurs during spring and fall when water temperatures range between 65-80°F, with peak action from February through mid-April at Bay Springs Lake and throughout the warmer months at Pickwick Lake.

How do you catch Smallmouth Bass in Mississippi?

Fish deeper water during cold periods and transition to shallower areas as water warms in spring and fall. Live shad with small weights can be deadly in winter, drifted along current seams and held just off the bottom.

What do Smallmouth Bass eat?

Smallmouth diet transitions as they grow, starting with plankton, small aquatic insects, and small crustaceans, then progressing to larger aquatic and terrestrial insects, crayfish, and small fish.

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