Largemouth or Smallmouth?

[MALTESE FALCON]

HERE ON LAKE ST. CLAIR WE HAVE LARGEMOUTH AND SMALLMOUTH AND EVERY ONCE IN A GREAT WHILE WHITE BASS. BUT WHEN ONE OF THOSE BROWN BASS IS ON THE END OF MY LINE THERE IS NOTHING LIKE IT.

[Valascus]

I have never caught a smallmouth in my life, but would love too. Largemouth bass are fun and fight better than most freshwater fish IMO, but if everything I have heard about smallies is true, then I need to find some of those somewhere around the Saint Louis area.

[Keithscatch]

I have caught some smallmouth not as many as some of you all. Maybe 80-100 in my life. All where caught in Colorado. Biggest was about 3lbs. I heard how they where the toughest strongest fish etc. To be honest I wasn't impressed. I mean they fought good but I think people exaggerate how hard they fight. Now maybe the bigger ones fight harder then the ones I was catching? Don't know.

I have also caught Spotted or as some call them Kentucky Bass. In Lake Lanier Spots are king. I caught a 4lb spot there and from my experiences catching spots, I prefer them over Smallies. I think they are prettier, and fight as hard if not harder then Smallies. They attack lures ferociously sort of like a Peacock bass. Top waters are crushed by spots right in the middle of the day. They will smack the lure 2 feet up into the air and hit it 3 or 4 times before they take it.

For me I liked the spots best for all things considered. Smallmouth are fun too.

[5bass]

Keith,my home lake has a small population of spots and I have tangled with a few of them this year.The biggest one I boated was maybe 2.5# but he fought like a champ and so did the smaller ones.I caught the biggest from a bed,he was really ticked off.....and it didnt take him long at all to bite!

I didnt think the spots fought any harder than a smallmouth but I can see where there is a good comparison to be made.Maybe if I could hook a few 3+ spots I'd change my mind.We'll see hopefully.

I think you'd be impressed if you hooked a 4# smallmouth on say 6# line and a spinning rig.

[VABasser]

This could be way off but in my expeirences id say smallies seam to fight just under a largemouth double there weight my smallie a little over 4 lbs faught about as hard as my 8 lb largemouth some may disagree but thats how its turned out for me and living in Mi and Ma i catch almost equel amounts

I was actually going to say the same thing.  From my experience that has seemed to be true.  Obviously there are exceptions, sometimes you get a really feisty bass (lm or sm) that think they're twice their size.  The biggest smallie I've ever caught was about 4 lbs, and he put up one heck of a fight.

[kbkindle]

indiana kid   yes there are about 3 to 1 small mouth in shafer  here are acouple from first of week

[Keithscatch]

I think you'd be impressed if you hooked a 4# smallmouth on say 6# line and a spinning rig.

Yes sir, I think I would.

[56 crestliner]

Id have to say small mouth probably cuz i havent really caught many largemouth.

[Pa Angler]

If you tie a Smallmouth tail to tail to a Largemouth the Smallmouth would drown the largemouth. 8-)

[Craw]

Smallmouth are great fun to catch and quite a challenge to find sometimes, even in rivers. They're extremely mobile and will travel miles upon miles on a given day. It's all worth it once you find them though cause they really can put up a fight. Here in Va. the largemouth fishing just isn't that great but trophy smallmouth are well within reach. As far as being pound for pound the strongest fish...No Way! I love my smallies but they can't hang with some of the other fish. The body of a smallmouth just can't generate the power of lets say an equal size striper. Smallies do possess a few attributes though that make them favorites among lots of anglers. When they are aggressively feeding they strike viciously and their aerial acrobatics are unmatched. They are my favorite but I feel blessed that we have many other great gamefish to pursue here in Va.

[roadwarrior]

On a scale of 1-10, I would rate a German brown trout over 5 lbs at 10. Smallmouth over 5 lbs an 8. Largemouth a 4. Spots (Kentucky bass) a 4 and striper a 6. Striper improve their rating in general, because they can be so much bigger.

As an overall ranking, striper might be #1 just because they are so much fun when they get HUGE!

[ChrisW]

I have caught many LM's in my life, not too many SM's but I hooked into a 22 inch smallie a couple of months ago and that thing was tough and fought very hard.  The LM's can get much bigger than smallies but overall, pound for pound, the smallie fights harder and better.  

This is not to say LM's are not tough because we all know they are.  

[Madhouse27]

While both fish are top notch I'd definately choose the Smallmouth. What they sometimes lack in size they more than make up for in muscle and endurance. It's kind of like comparing the athleticism of an offensive lineman to that of a linebacker. The big guy is a bit one dimensional and tends to wear out quickly whereas the linebacker is more versatile and won't quit until the play is over. Generally speaking I also prefer fishing in smallmouth waters. I'll take a cool, clear, rocky northern lake anytime.

[fishinyank]

Smallmouth hands down, only once in awhile do LM even compare, and Ive caught plenty of both to give a sound judgement. They zig-zag, will charge you, hurl themselves three feet in the air and thats all in the first two seconds. Heres a quick example of their power. I was fishing with my buddy from work, spent the day catching several 2 to 5 pound LMs, had a great time and had some good fights, but hadnt caught a single smallie. So we moved up onto a rocky bar and lo and behold, I can see that black tail fin flickering by a large boulder. I make a cast, and I;m hooked up, and its a smallie. After a series of jumps, it dives under the boat and shoots out the other side heading to deep water. So I swing around to face it and let the rod load up and put pressure on her to stop her, but she keeps going...dragging us with her. Thats a 16 inch, two poundish fish, that towed a 14 foot aluminum rowboat, me(180pounds), my buddy(Id guess 220) and a slew of gear and coolers!! I let her drag us about ten yards and stopped her, turned to my friend and said "thats why I love smallies!" Talk about towin capacity...Ford and Chevy have nothin on a smallie!!!! Oh yeah and I forgot....Ive caught them up to a hair over 4 pounds and have hooked into one (bout three weeks ago) that was probably close to six and have to say if you've never caught one thats 3lbs or more you must....itll make your heart pound out of your chest

[Keithscatch]

Since some of you mentioned other species, I will chime in with what I think is pound for pound the best; a REDFISH. Striper are fun too but a Redfish will flat out make your reel scream. They have awesome swimming power.

[jomatty]

i love smallmouth fishing.  i think they are beautiful fish and love how aggressive and strong they are.  i fish a lot of rivers in va and grew up wade fishing for smallies.  i still go to the small river near my house regularly. a one pound smallmouth on a fairly light spinning outfit is a blast.  when i was young i went on a drift trip with my friends father.  fishing was slow until we stopped and caught some helgramites.  then we started tearing em up.  i hooked into one that was a bout 3 pounds and he totally whipped my butt.  i was only 11 or 12 and he got under the boat and came out jumping and angry on the other side.  it was a miracle i landed him and the highlight of my young fishing career.  it was so much fun.  that may have been THE fish that made me a fisherman.  i fish more for largemouth these days but i still think the smallie is number one.  

[fishingJ]

Smallmouth are by far my favourite fish to catch. There nice looking, great fighters, and are just plain fun.

[Banor]

Smallmouth definately.

B

[ThaSadDaddy]

Aint nothin like catchin a huge largemouth down south.

[roadwarrior]

How 'bout a HUGE smallmouth down south?

[bassclown]

smallmouth do fight harder but i prefer to fish the locations that l/m tend to hang around.  i just love the calmer water, lily pads, grass or whatever. places you need a mh rod with at least 12lb. test.  that's why i'm a die hard l/m fan.

[Rattlinrogue]

Being where I live,there are no smallies.The water is just too hot,and there aren't any really clear lakes.I've always heard that smallies are the fightingnest bass around.I've never had a chance to fish for these most fighting of of the bass species.I fish for Florida strain'bass down here in South MS.They put up a great fight themselves.So,I guess I'm a Largemouth basser,but I'd certainly love to square off with Mr. smallmouth!

[BassHunter266]

Wow! I guess smallies are the fighters, but if you tied a smallmouth tail to tail with a snook the smallie

would drown. ;D

[roadwarrior]

Maybe, but if they were the same size, probably not. Salt water fish are generally in another class, but I've caught speckled trout and they're bigger wuss than crappie or sauger! Great tablefare, but if I never catch another it's still one too many.

[Keithscatch]

I like em all. They all have things unique about them that I like.