Smallmouth bass
can be found in Ontario’s Great Lakes as well as the glacial lakes
of the Canadian Shield and in a number of rivers, creeks, and lakes
in this beautiful Canadian province.
Largemouth bass
are commonly found in warmer bodies of water with shallow cover,
usually comprised of fallen timber and weeds or stone outcrops.
Some of the lakes with mixed habitat result in the largemouth region
intersecting and co-mingling with that of smallmouth, making for
a variety of fishing opportunities.
In Ontario,
smallmouth bass fishing success is usually optimised in more open
water, where you can utilize light to medium-action six to ten pound
test lines and normally a six foot spinning rod. The fly fisherman
will also find smallmouth bass eager to attack top-water poppers
or minnow-shaped ribbons in a shallow water setting.
During the Canadian
summer, deep underwater points, submerged islands, rocky shoals
and weed bed edges are the prime locations to snag these agile and
spectacular fighting species of bass.
Ontario smallmouth
bass fishing is somewhat unique when compared to other bass fishing
settings. In the rugged Northern Ontario lakes and rivers where
some of the best medal smallmouth bass fishing can be experienced,
smallmouths favor the unsteady clear lakes with little plant life
and congregate in shoreline rocks and points. But don’t limit your
fishing to the shoreline as some of the prize catches can be had
in the deeper water.
If you really
want to experience the great remote areas you can charter with Wilderness
Air and fly in to your own exclusive lake. You can bunk in a deluxe
outpost cabin, which are very well maintained and comfortable. Wilderness
Air charters is one of the best ways to experience the Ontario smallmouth
bass fishing challenge!
Smallmouth bass
derived their name from the anotomical fact that the rear end of
the lower jaw does not extend past the eye, while the lower part
of the jaw of a largemouth does. There is also a low notch linking
the dorsal fins to the body that resembles a series of dark broken
bars.
The smallmouth
bass typically matures between the ages of roughly two and four
years and often has a life span of over ten years. On a light line,
the Ontario smallmouth bass is a fierce competitor and pound for
pound one of the best battles in Canadian angling. First time bass
fishermen are always shocked by the dramatic and frequent jumps
coupled with the powerful ability to dive quickly to awesome depths.
That’s how bass fishing becomes a habit and compulsion that is hard
to give up and why bass fishermen keep migrating back to Ontario
for return visits. After battling one of these determined creatures
the average fisherman is always surprised to find that the average
length for a smallmouth ranges between only ten and about twenty
inches. The current Canadian record for the biggest smallmouth bass
caught in Ontario is a little over ten pounds.
In terms of
the better types of lures to use, crawling spinnerbaits or retrieving
shallow-running crankbaits along the sub-merged weed patches are
very effective. Both species of bass found in in deeper water are
attracted to diving crankbaits. Largemouth tecniques employed in
most other locations are also effective in Ontario. Tactics vary
from flip-and-pitch styles used in the shallow weed beds, docks,
and stumps, to the exciting top-water stroke on jerkbaits, poppers,
and hovering plastic worms.
If you have
never fished for smallmouth in Ontario there are a few points to
remember.
Keep in mind
that Ontario smallmouth bass fishing is a little different from
the the largemouth bass experience. If you are used to fishing largemouth
primarily in weed beds, you will find the smallmouth bass would
rather hide out where the rock ledges drop suddenly. The popular
baits are crawfish, minnow, leeches and hellgrammites. You will
likely have success using everything that resembles a minnow such
as plastic worms or flag flies.
Also when fishing
for Ontario smallmouth bass you will usually find schools of fish
about the same size so if you are not satisfied with the size of
fish taken from a given location you should probably move on to
a fresh spot. If you’ are releasing live bait from your boat use
as many lines as is permissible.
The season from
the middle of June through to the fall is the best time to plan
your trip to Ontario. In the early part of the season the smallmouths
are often found on the shallower beds, and by fall they are found
in the 10 to 20 foot deeper waters. At that time you should group
rattletraps, cranks and jigs, and float a marker buoy to mark the
school area.
Try it once
and I guarantee you will be telling your friends and planning a
return trip next season to Ontario Canada.
About the Author:
Jim Hutton is
an avid bass fishing enthusiast and writes on the topic at: Bass
Fishing Information
Read more articles
by: Jim Hutton
Article Source:
www.iSnare.com
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