Fish-On! Chapter 11

Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieui)

I must admit a certain biased affection for the smallmouth bass. I am certainly not alone in my feelings of fondness for the Micropterus dolomieui. Over most of North America anglers captivated by the fish refer to it as "pound for pound and inch for inch the 'fightingest' fish that swims in fresh water." This statement would probably get you into a very heated discussion on a steelhead river or at a meeting of Muskies Inc. But few anglers would disagree that regardless of what you call it -- smallmouth, black bass, brown bass, bronzeback, or even mountain trout -- if any fish could be said to have "class, " the smallmouth bass has it.

THE FISH

Both smallmouth and largemouth bass are members of the sunfish or Centrarchidae family of fishes. They are more closely related to the humble pan fish species such as the bluegill and rock bass than to the true freshwater basses such as white and striped bass.