Smallmouth bass fishing is enjoyed by fishermen all over America. Searching and then finally catching the big smallmouth bass is a real achievement for the true blue American sport fisherman. It is considered to be the America's number one fresh water sport. Believe it or not, this sport has grown 70% higher than any other fresh water sport in America.

The smallmouth bass is believed to be, pound for pound, one of the hardest fighting freshwater fish. The bass runs acrobatic leaps and does "tail walking" making it one of the most exciting fishes to pursue.

Before you go in search for thet elusive smallmouth bass, you must first know its characteristics or how it looks like. Smallmouth bass are habitually bronze to brownish green in color. It has dark vertical bars on the sides. Unlike the largemouth, the upper jaw of a small mouth does not merely extend beyond rear margin of the eye. The eye of a smallmouth is reddish. It has 13 to 15 rays of soft dorsal fins. Its length would go from 12 to 22 inches. And it normally weighs 8 ounces to 7 pounds.

Here are some guides and tips that can help you bag a smallmouth bass:

- If you fish for smallmouth in the northeast, particularly in Maryland, you will find that small mouth bass do not stick too tight to cover their presence. This is more obvious in some of our the slack water reservoirs. This fish relates much more to a sudden or rapid depth change when they do go for cover.

- Small mouth bass can be caught on a rock ledge that drops off quickly from about six to twelve feet.

- When trapping a smallmouth bass that is about four or five pounds, try to swim along with them maki9ng your presence inconspicuous.

- An effective trap for smallmouth bass are plastic worms or flies.

- They are less aware when they are feeding or think they will be feeding.

- This type of sport fish will be usually found on rocky structures with and without light weed lines.

- The smallmouth has and exceptional sense of sight, smell, and hearing.

- The smallmouth. like most fish, is light-shy.

- Smallmouth bass are schooling fish by nature, so you are likely to catch several bass in the same locations.

- Once you catch one smallmouth, chances are you will have a chance to catch more about the same size in the immediate area.

One of the most effective and most popular methods of tricking or catching a small mouth is to work over the top of these weed beds. Some fishermen prefer jigs, while others choose live bait.

Here's a list that shows the best top water flies in order to trick small mouth bass:

1. Stonefly Bugger - size 6

2. Franke Hellgrammite - size 4

3. Clouser Minnow - size 6

4. Sneaky Pete - size 4

5. Crayfish - size 8

6. Popper - size 6

7. Zonkers - size 4

8. Bead Head Wooly Bugger- size 6

When is the right time to fish a small mouth?

Smallmouth bass are active in cold waters so, you might catch up with this fish in the early spring. Start searching for them when the water temperature is in the mid-40s. The smallmouth might just be about 20-30 feet deep in the waters, or might be waiting for the temperature to rise a little before emerging higher.

When the temperature begins to reach mid-50s, the smallmouth will start to move on to cooler or deeper holes, change your technique. Or else do not even bother yourself in attempting to search them out. All you will need is something to aid you in searching the bottom. It could be a bait or lure that will catch the attention of small mouth bass. A plastic worm will be a good strategy with this because even the most slow-moving bass will respond when you drag one slowly in its nose. Then when that happens start the battle in search for these small mouths.

But do not forget, you are in search for a completely different fish. They are not just an ordinary fish.... They are SMALLMOUTH BASS!