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Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass are among Missouri's premier gamefish. Missouri offers some of the best smallmouth fishing in the U. S. , with the prime habitat located in the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri.

Missouri's smallmouth populations are robust across numerous waters.

Scientific Name: Micropterus dolomieu

Also known as bronzebacks, smallies

Physical Characteristics:
  • Known for their bronze-brown coloration with vertical dark bars.
  • They have smaller mouths than largemouth bass, with the upper jaw not extending beyond the eye when closed.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Smallmouth prefer clear, cool, oxygen-rich waters with rocky substrates.
  • They thrive in both rivers and lakes, with river fish typically being more slender and torpedo-shaped for navigating current, while lake fish are deeper-bodied.

Key Locations

  • Table Rock Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, Stockton Lake, the Current River, Meramec River, James River, Big Piney River, Jacks Fork River, and Gasconade River.

Specific Spots

  • Focus on rocky structure including bluff walls, rock piles, boulders, current breaks, and transition areas between deep and shallow water.
  • In rivers, target pools, eddies, root wads, and areas behind structure where fish ambush prey.
  • On lakes like Table Rock and Bull Shoals, concentrate on main lake points, humps, and rocky banks in 10-25 foot depths during summer.
  • Fish shallow during spring spawn and fall feeding periods.

Smallmouth Bass FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

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

Tube baits (especially green pumpkin), jigs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, soft plastic worms, drop-shot rigs, and Ned rigs. Natural colors work best - browns, greens, and crayfish imitations excel.

What flies work for Smallmouth Bass in Missouri?

Woolly Buggers, Clouser Minnows, Muddler Minnows, various nymphs, crayfish patterns, and topwater poppers.

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

Spring fishing is productive from late March through May as fish transition from winter holes to spawning areas, while fall offers excellent action as fish bulk up for winter. Summer can be productive during early morning and evening hours.

How do you catch Smallmouth Bass in Missouri?

Cast upstream and work baits downstream in current. Use finesse presentations in clear water conditions. Downsize lures compared to largemouth bass tactics.

What do Smallmouth Bass eat?

Opportunistic predators with crayfish making up 60-90% of their diet when available, supplemented by insects, small fish, and aquatic invertebrates.

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