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SMALLMOUTH BASS SPECIAL
 We spent a good amount of the summer in Western North Carolina. As we always try to do, we tried to find great fishing in the area. Our targets have been the wonderful smallmouth bass and we find them in a series of small mountain rivers in the area, with the better one being the Little Tennessee River. This river starts in northern Georgia and flows northwards through Franklin, NC, on to a convergence with huge Lake Fontana. At its junction with Fontana, the Little Tennessee is approximately 150 yards wide and averages only five feet deep. The area we fish is approximately 1/2 way between Franklin and Lake Fontana. In that location, the river starts to transition from a small, slow farmland stream into a boulder-strewn mountain river, falling through areas of towering mountains and ever-increasing whitewater rapids.
 We first fished the more shallow parts of the Little Tennessee by wading. This was very successful for large numbers of small bass, but we knew we had to access the deeper sections and cover more water to find the larger ones. So, we began to use a canoe to cover stretches of 5-7 miles per outing. This proved to be the answer to absolutely great smallmouth bass fishing.
We studied each river section and determined probable fish holding locations. We anchored at specific points that we had determined held fish and worked them in detail. It paid off in spades. We are releasing some 30-40 smallmouths per outing, with the best 10 on one trip tipping the scales at 21.2 pounds. That is really exceptional for mountain river fishing. In fact, our best 10 fish have normally averaged 15-19 lbs. Consistently.
 Our primary fishing partner has been Don Hitchcock, of Melbourne. He and I spend part of the summer in the Smokey Mountains of Western North Carolina. Don actually has a second home here, as he is a retired Director of Manufacturing at Harris. Don has taken a four-lb. smallmouth, which is trophy-size for these small mountain rivers. He and I, together, have also managed a good number in the three-pound range.
We owe the success to our Florida experience (believe it or not), in that we are using soft jerk baits (examples: Senko, Stick-O) just like we did for the giant Stick Marsh fish. We also owe a good part of our successful fishing pattern to Don's discovery that the smallmouths like the jerk bait, but with NO action at all. Just cast it under tree overhangs and into eddies off the sides of the main current flow. It is phenomenal, to say the least. The local outfitter and guide still shakes his head and doesn't understand the approach. But, it sure works.
 The other lures that have produced well are the small sinking Rapala and the Tiny Torpedo topwater plug. With the Rappel, we cast it into eddies or directly into the current flow. For the best results, our retrieve is always at just a medium speed. If the water is over 3 feet dep. We let the sinking lure drop for 3-4 seconds to allow it to run down on the rocks or gravel bottom.
The Tiny Torpedo, one of Heddon's finest lures and an age-old standard in topwaters, has provided some hair-raising action for us. It seems to produce best when the water is slightly dingy from the rains. We just use a 'pop-and-stop' approach. The strikes usually come right as the lure stops moving. A big smallmouth can literally stop your heart when hitting this lure. The smallmouth is very aggressive, as you can note by the double on the Tiny Torpedo in one of the pictures. When he makes up his mind to strike, there is virtually nothing that will stop him. The smallie comes like a bullet from a gun and literally explodes on the lure.
 The smallmouth bass is one of the three of the most sought-after members of the bass family (largemouth, smallmouth and Kentucky spotted bass). Whereas the largemouth likes warm, shallow, murky water with lots of cover (logs, grass, etc.), the smallmouth prefers his environment to be cool, clear, and rocky. He is found in the higher elevation lakes and rivers, generally north of mid-Alabama. A very aggressive fish, the smallmouth is fast, strong, and an aerial acrobat. When hooked, he stays in the air more than in the water. Of the three primary bass species, the smallmouth is, by far, the most challenging and fun to catch. On the average, the smallmouth bas is significantly smaller, on the average, than his largemouth cousin. The World Record stands at 10 lbs. 14 oz. And was taken on massive Dale Hollow lake in Tennessee.
Species Facts
| Science Name: |
Micropterus dolomieu |
| Other Names: |
Bronzeback, brown bass, black bass, Oswego bass, green trout and redeye |
| Ideal Temp: |
60 to 70 F. |
| World Record: |
10 lbs. 14 ounces, Dale Hollow Lake, TN. |
| Environment: |
Cool, rocky streams, rivers, lakes |
| Techniques: |
Casting, live baiting |
EMAIL the Jim Porter for more information on smallmouth bass fishing in North Carolina.
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Recommended sites by The Fishin' Tipster |
A common question that we get: "Is there somewhere close to get bait and tackle?" This is where we get our bait.
Pete and Tina Heinz / 9 South Mulberry St. / Fellsmere, FL 32948 / 772-571-9855
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