Where to Fish for Smallmouth Bass Today — US

Premier gamefish of the non-tidal Potomac, the Upper Susquehanna, and Deep Creek Lake. Pound-for-pound one of the hardest-fighting freshwater fish. Hits tubes, crayfish imitations, spinnerbaits, and topwater poppers.

Preferred conditions

Water temp: 55–78°F (ideal 68°F)
Tide: either
Moon: either
Depth: 3–30 ft
Active months: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov

Best smallmouth bass conditions today

Sort Open harvest only

Ludington State Park

Prettyboy Reservoir

Baltimore Co., MD

Detroit River (Wyandotte)

Youghiogheny River — Friendsville

Garrett Co., MD · harvest closed

Presque Isle State Park

Shasta Lake

Lake Havasu

Lake of the Ozarks

Lake Champlain

Cayuga Lake

Selkirk Shores State Park

Lake Champlain (Burlington)

Chittenden Co., VT

Mississippi River (Grafton)

Niagara River (Lower)

Niagara Co., NY

Loch Raven Reservoir

Baltimore Co., MD

Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area

Baltimore Co., MD · harvest closed

Shawnee State Park

Bedford Co., PA

Raystown Lake — Seven Points Beach

Huntingdon Co., PA

Laurel Hill State Park

Somerset Co., PA

Cowans Gap State Park

Prince Gallitzin State Park

Cambria Co., PA

Gifford Pinchot State Park

Pine Grove Furnace State Park

Cumberland Co., PA

Yellow Creek State Park

Indiana Co., PA

Port Crescent State Park

31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach)

Cook Co., IL · harvest closed

Marquette Park Beach (Gary, Miller Beach)

Lake Co., IN · harvest closed

Washington Park Beach (Michigan City)

LaPorte Co., IN · harvest closed

Bull Shoals Lake

Flaming Gorge Reservoir

Daggett Co., UT

Lake Coeur d’Alene

Kootenai Co., ID · harvest closed

Lake Mead (Hemenway Harbor)

Lake St. Clair (Metropark)

Green Bay (Bay Beach, Green Bay)

Sebago Lake

Cumberland Co., ME

Spirit Lake

Dickinson Co., IA

West Okoboji Lake

Dickinson Co., IA

Milford Lake

Wilson Lake

Russell Co., KS

Cheat Lake

Monongalia Co., WV

Navajo Lake

San Juan Co., NM

Lewis and Clark Lake

California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin)

San Joaquin Co., CA

Bay de Noc (Escanaba)

Folsom Lake

Sacramento Co., CA

Catawba Island State Park (Port Clinton)

Oneida Lake

Kennebec River (Augusta)

Kennebec Co., ME

Connecticut River (Bellows Falls)

Windham Co., VT

Peninsula State Park (Nicolet Bay Beach)

St. Lawrence River (1000 Islands)

St. Lawrence Co., NY

Lake Winnipesaukee

Belknap Co., NH

Squam Lake

Grafton Co., NH

Lake Memphremagog (Newport)

Orleans Co., VT

Saginaw Bay

Sandusky River (Fremont)

Sandusky Co., OH

Lake Vermilion

St. Louis Co., MN

Mille Lacs Lake

Lake Minnetonka

Hennepin Co., MN

Lake McConaughy (Ogallala)

Lake Francis Case (Chamberlain)

Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark)

Mississippi River (Clinton)

Clinton Co., IA

Lake Pueblo

Cherry Creek Reservoir

Arapahoe Co., CO

Chatfield Reservoir

Douglas Co., CO

Horsetooth Reservoir

Larimer Co., CO

Fort Peck Lake

Lake Powell (Bullfrog)

Garfield Co., UT

Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park)

Lake Audubon

Rainy Lake (International Falls)

Koochiching Co., MN

Sturgeon Bay (Door County)

Conowingo Dam Tailrace

Harford Co., MD · harvest closed

Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park (Perryville)

Cecil Co., MD · harvest closed

Sims Park Beach (Euclid)

Cuyahoga Co., OH

Riverbend Park — Upper Potomac

Fairfax Co., VA · harvest closed

Jennings Randolph Lake

Garrett Co., MD

North Branch Potomac River — Luke

Allegany Co., MD · harvest closed

North Branch Potomac River — Barnum

Garrett Co., MD · harvest closed

Lake of the Woods (Baudette)

Lake of the Woods Co., MN

Table Rock Lake

Beaver Lake

Carroll Co., AR

Deep Creek Lake

Garrett Co., MD

Potomac River — Williamsport

Washington Co., MD

Antietam Creek — Burnside Bridge

Washington Co., MD · harvest closed

Roosevelt Lake

Maricopa Co., AZ

Tims Ford Lake

Franklin Co., TN

Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows

Allegany Co., MD · harvest closed

Conococheague Creek — Williamsport

Washington Co., MD

Kentucky Lake

Kentucky Lake

Edgewater Beach (Cleveland)

Cuyahoga Co., OH

Lake Berryessa

Evitts Creek

Allegany Co., MD · harvest closed

Liberty Reservoir

Carroll Co., MD

Greenbrier State Park

Washington Co., MD

Broadford Lake Park

Garrett Co., MD

Tuscarora State Park

Schuylkill Co., PA

Cacapon Resort State Park

Lake Texoma

Grayson Co., TX

Lake Travis

Lake Lanier

Forsyth Co., GA

West Point Lake

Broken Bow Lake

McCurtain Co., OK

Wheeler Lake

Lake Barkley

Elephant Butte Reservoir

Lake Amistad

Val Verde Co., TX

Pickwick Lake

Colbert Co., AL

Lake Oahe (Oahe Downstream, Pierre)

Lake Sharpe (Pierre)

Stanley Co., SD

Lake Guntersville

Marshall Co., AL

Summersville Lake

Nicholas Co., WV

J. Percy Priest Lake

Davidson Co., TN

Chickamauga Lake

Hamilton Co., TN

Smith Mountain Lake

Franklin Co., VA

Potomac River — Point of Rocks

Frederick Co., MD

Lake Norman

Iredell Co., NC

Claytor Lake

Pulaski Co., VA

Dale Hollow Lake

Monocacy River — Buckeystown

Frederick Co., MD

Saguaro Lake

Maricopa Co., AZ

New River (Thurmond Gorge)

Fayette Co., WV

Lake Cumberland

Russell Co., KY

Regulations by jurisdiction

Maryland (non-tidal)

Stale: last verified 81 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 12"
Creel: 5

Non-tidal MD: 12-inch minimum, 5 per day in aggregate with largemouth bass. Harvest season is June 16 through the last day of February. March 1–June 15 is catch-and-release only. Special regulations apply on sections of the non-tidal Potomac — check site-specific rules.

Source · verified 2026-04-22

Delaware (tidal)

Stale: last verified 81 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 12"
Max size: 17"
Creel: 6

Delaware non-tidal waters: 12–17 inch protected slot — you cannot keep any fish from 12 to 17 inches inclusive. Below 12 in and above 17 in are legal, but only 1 fish over 17 inches may be kept per day. Total creel 6 per day. No spawning closure like MD (which is C&R March 1–June 15 for bass). DE's smallmouth fishery is small — mostly the Brandywine Creek, Christina River, and Red Clay Creek in New Castle County — but it's regulated independently of largemouth (no aggregate rule).

Source · verified 2026-04-22

Virginia (non-tidal — VDWR)

Stale: last verified 81 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 5

Non-tidal VA: 5 per day in aggregate with largemouth bass. Same water-specific slot limits apply: James River and New River (Fields Dam to state line) have a 14–22 inch protected slot with only 1 fish over 22 in allowed; Shenandoah River has an 11–14 inch slot; Claytor Lake requires a 14-inch minimum; Lake Moomaw requires 12-inch minimum. VA's smallmouth fisheries (James, New, Shenandoah) are nationally recognized — check water-specific rules before keeping any fish.

Source · verified 2026-04-22

OH

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

great lakes

Min size: 14"
Creel: 5

Lake Erie: 14" minimum, 5/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

PA

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

great lakes

Min size: 15"
Creel: 6

Lake Erie: 15" minimum, 6/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 12"
Creel: 6

12" minimum, 6/day (combined with largemouth). Catch-and-release only mid-Apr–mid-Jun spawning period.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

WV

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 6

6 black bass/day in aggregate (12" minimum on many waters — check the water-specific rule).

Source · verified 2026-05-29

TX

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 14"
Creel: 5

14" minimum, 5/day (black bass in aggregate).

Source · verified 2026-05-29

GA

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 14"
Creel: 5

14" minimum, 5/day (black bass in aggregate).

Source · verified 2026-05-29

CA

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 12"
Creel: 5

12" minimum, 5/day in lakes/reservoirs.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

AZ

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 6

6/day in aggregate with other black bass.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

TN

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 5

5/day (smallmouth/spotted combined); only one over 16" per day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

NC

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 5

5/day; mountain reservoirs may carry a size limit.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

MO

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 15"
Creel: 6

15" minimum, 6/day (black bass combined).

Source · verified 2026-05-29

MN

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 6

6/day (bass combined); many lakes are catch-and-release in the spring pre-season.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

OK

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 6

6/day (black bass combined), only one over 16"; 14" minimum in rivers.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

AL

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 15"
Creel: 10

10 black bass/day (max 5 smallmouth), 15" minimum on most reservoirs.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

KY

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 5

5 black bass/day, no more than 2 smallmouth.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

AR

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 15"
Creel: 6

15" minimum, 6/day on Bull Shoals, Beaver, Norfork and Table Rock.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

NY

Stale: last verified 44 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 12"
Creel: 5

12" minimum, 5/day (black bass in aggregate).

Source · verified 2026-05-29

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

great lakes

Min size: 12"
Creel: 5

Lake Ontario: 5 black bass/day, 12" minimum (third Saturday in June through Nov 30; catch-and-release at other times).

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTCO

Stale: last verified 41 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 15"
Creel: 5

Largemouth and smallmouth in aggregate: 5/day, 15" minimum east of the Continental Divide; smallmouth are unlimited west of the Divide.

Source · verified 2026-06-01

NTMTE

Stale: last verified 41 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 5

Eastern District: 5 smallmouth bass daily and in possession.

Source · verified 2026-06-01

NTUT

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 20

Lake Powell: 20 smallmouth/day — an abundant fishery Utah encourages anglers to harvest.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTNV

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 13"
Creel: 6

Lake Mead: 6 black bass/day (smallmouth and largemouth combined), 13" minimum.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

MI

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

great lakes

Min size: 14"
Creel: 5

Michigan: 5 smallmouth/day, 14" minimum. Catch-and-immediate-release season runs before the mid-June opener on most Great Lakes waters — confirm dates.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

WI

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

great lakes

Min size: 14"
Creel: 5

Wisconsin Great Lakes / Green Bay: 5 bass/day, 14" minimum (a renowned trophy smallmouth fishery).

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTND

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 5

North Dakota: 5 bass/day, no statewide size limit.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTSD

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 5

South Dakota: 5 bass/day (largemouth and smallmouth combined).

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTNE

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 15"
Creel: 5

Nebraska: 5 black bass/day, 15" minimum on most reservoirs.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTME

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 2

Maine South Zone general law: 2 black bass/day (only 1 over 14"); North Zone is unlimited. Confirm the zone.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTVT

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 12"
Creel: 5

Lake Champlain: 5 bass/day (largemouth + smallmouth combined), 12" minimum.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTNH

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 12"
Creel: 5

New Hampshire: 5 bass/day, 12" minimum.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTIA

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 15"
Creel: 3

Iowa public lakes: 3 black bass/day, 15" minimum (6 in possession).

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTKS

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 15"
Creel: 5

Kansas: 5 black bass/day, 15" minimum on most reservoirs.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

IL

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Min size: 12"
Creel: 6

Illinois: 6 black bass/day, 12" minimum (14" on Carlyle and some reservoirs).

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTNM

Stale: last verified 39 days ago.

non tidal

Creel: 5

New Mexico: 5 black bass/day (largemouth and smallmouth combined).

Source · verified 2026-06-03