Pound for pound, smallmouth bass are the best fighting fish in Northwest Ontario. Legendary Angler Al Lindner calls Northwestern Ontario the best place in North America for smallmouth bass fishing. Check out what Al has to say about it here.
In Sunset Country, our lakes are loaded with these fighters waiting to grab your bait and provide you with plenty of fishing action. Smallies are exciting to catch, and their sheer numbers here make Sunset Country a premier smallmouth bass fishing destination. While less common, several lakes also offer excellent largemouth bass populations, making our area a must-visit destination for any serious angler. With over 70,000 lakes, we've got some great fishing holes for you!
What They Bite
Smallmouth bass love a variety of presentations, but when visiting, make sure you have a variety of baits to choose from that you can use under different weather and structure conditions. Must-have baits include:
- Jigheads with plastic e.g. Z-Man plastics, Smeltinator jigs, etc., all work fantastic. Bring some Ned rigs with you. Pumpkin and white/black are good colours for plastic baits.
- Spinner baits - willow-bladed baits like the Strike King Bottom Dweller or Megabass SV-3.
- Crankbaits - for example, Strike King 3XD, Rapala Fat Rap. Black/white and green are good colour choices.
- Topwater baits - Poppers, topwater frogs.
- Hair Jigs, tube jigs.
The bottom line is that the bass here will bite many different baits. Remember that what works at home will work here, and you'll be okay. Watch this video where Al Lindner talks about his favourite bass baits.
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See below for a list of outfitters offering fishing trips for smallmouth bass.