Smallmouth Bass

Of all the fish in the sea, you are the only one for me!

Smallmouth bass, believe it or not, are the most popular fish to catch on Lake Erie. At the Lake Erie Fishing Charter, the most common fish you will hear people talking about is this one. The large presence of these fish at Lake Erie and the Lake Erie Fishing Charter is a compliment to Lake Erie. The smallmouth bass is completely intolerant to pollution and therefore it habituates solely in healthy environments.

The smallmouth bass are far from picky eaters, they will eat anything that will fit in their mouth including, but not limited to, small birds, frogs and for all you mice haters- small mice. Because they can eat so much, the smallmouth has the potential to reach a length of up to 27 inches and 12 pounds. The only “small” thing about this guy is its mouth. The smallmouth plays along with evolution and the features of the fish are dependent on the geographic location and type of water the fish resides. The fishing charter on Lake Erie, for instance, is home to smallmouth bass that have a light yellow-brown color which aids in camouflage to the sandy coast.

            The size and aggression of the smallmouth makes it one of the toughest fighting freshwater fish in the continent. It is especially feisty out of the water when it is hooked, those guys will flap hard! This does, however, make the smallmouth bass one of the most compelling and satisfying fish to catch on Lake Erie. Be sure to look for the bass in bottom structures: rocky ruble, ledges, drop-offs and etcetera as this is where they generally sit. They are at least 20-40 feet below, so do not bother searching the shallow waters for them.

            Unlike the yellow perch, smallmouth bass create nests for their eggs.  They even have a sort of mating dance that the females do before they spawn. These females, however, do not get to decide when to spawn. For the bass fish, mother nature and temperatures decide this for them. Female smallmouth bass fish spawn at water temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Hence the smallmouth bass and preparing to set up their nests and spawn their offspring. Therefore, starting planning your trip to the Lake Erie Fishing Charter because these little guys will be biting soon! Another main difference between the yellow perch and the smallmouth bass is that the smallmouth bass is a predator, whereas the yellow perch is the prey.

            If you have any questions about the smallmouth bass at Lake Erie or Lake Erie fishing charters, please visit the Erie Drifter website.