By Mike Gnatkowski

Michigan smallmouth bass waters come in all shapes and sizes. The spunky brown bass are very adaptive. They reside in just about every kind of water you can think of, from expansive Great Lakes bays to large and small natural lakes to free-flowing rivers and impoundments.

Most serious anglers who target smallmouth bass practice catch-and-release. That means that most quality smallmouth waters in Michigan have some trophy bass in them, as well as good numbers of smallies.

Following is a selection of smallmouth waters that are sure to produce the kind of action Michigan anglers have become accustomed to.

Located in western Ontonagon and Gogebic counties, 12,800-acre Lake Gogebic not only has good numbers of smallies, but good-sized bass, too.

"We get lots of bass in the 15- to 18-inch range," said Ron Montie of Nine Pines Resort. "Occasionally, we'll get a bass in the 21- to 22-inch range that will weigh 4 1/2 to 5 pounds. The bass here are sort of like the perch - short and fat."

Montie said that one of the best times for smallmouths on Gogebic is in late May and early June when the bass are in 2 to 3 feet of water during the pre-spawn and spawn. He said that pitching a little black jig into the shallows usually produces plenty of action from feisty smallmouths. After the spawn, the bass retreat to the 6- to 8-foot depths where crayfish-colored baits and lures excel. During mid to late summer look for smallmouths tucked into the distinct weedlines, poised near rockpiles or suspended out from dropoffs that characterize the lake. Using slip-bobbers suspending leeches, minnows or crawlers along the edges is likely to fool both walleyes and smallmouths then.

Anglers with their own rigs can launch at public accesses on the north end of the lake near Bergland and at a site on the southwest side. For bait, tackle, lodging and guide service, contact Nine Pines Resort at (906) 842-3361 or on the Web at www.ninepinesresort.com.

Photo by Ron Sinfelt

Ironically, a problem that limits the trout fishing in Mirror Lake is what makes the smallmouth fishing so good. Mirror Lake is infested with rough fish, like white suckers and creek chubs, plus a host of minnow species that includes sticklebacks, fatheads, shiners and black-nosed dace. These species compete directly with the trout for food, but the lake's smallmouths thrive on them.

Another reason Mirror Lake's bass fishing is so good is that the lake is entirely catch-and-release for smallmouths. Like Lake of the Clouds, which is another topnotch smallmouth lake in the park, Mirror Lake's smallies are infested with yellow grubs that make the bass unappealing to eat. Rather than have anglers kill the bass only to throw them away later, fisheries managers figured it would be better to not allow anglers to keep bass. The result has produced a spectacular smallmouth fishery. It's not uncommon to land 20 to 30 smallmouths per day that will average 2 to 4 pounds.

Porcupine Mountains State Park offers plenty of campsites and other amenities. Contact the park office at (906) 885-5275 for details on special fishing regulations and seasons.

The best time to fish 695-acre Lake Medora is right after the season opens. Bass are in the shallows then, tending beds, and can be goaded into striking a variety of offerings. Jigs twitched seductively near the beds are often more than the protective smallmouths can stand. Good locations are on the west side of the lake between the outlets of Meadow Lake and Gull Lake creeks. A collection of small islands and shoals on the lake's east side is productive, too. In the summer, work the 10- to 15- foot dropoffs drifting with Fuzz-E-Grub jigs or crankbaits. The lake also produces blinding hatches of mayflies during the summer months, which brings bass to the surface and makes it a bonanza for flyfishers.

For information on campgrounds, bait shops and other amenities in the area, contact the Keweenaw Peninsula Chamber of Commerce at (906) 482-5240.

The best public access is off M-38 west of Baraga in Baraga County. There are numerous road ends where the adventurous type with GPS in hand can find secluded fishing. The river features huge, sand-bottomed holes, boulders and rock ledges that are home to smallmouths that will push 4 pounds. Live bait, jigs and spinners work best for the bass during the heat of summer.

For more information on Sturgeon River smallmouths, contact the DNR's Baraga field office at (906) 353-9651.

Straddling the Wisconsin-Michigan line, the mighty Menominee meanders more than 100 miles but is interrupted by 10 hydroelectric dams. Smallmouths inhabit the ponds created by the dams, but more take up residence where the Menominee reverts to a more riverine environment between dams. Try from the Sturgeon Falls Dam to Chalk Hills Dam, from White Rapids Dam to Grand Rapids Dam and from Grand Rapids Dam to Upper Scott Flowage. The river between dams features rapids, boulders, eddies, logs and pools that team with minnows, aquatic insects and crayfish - perfect bass fodder.

The Menominee's smallies are chunky, healthy fish that pull like the devil. Fish in the 4-pound range are common. Bass topping 6 pounds aren't unheard of. Because the bass have a variety of forage from which to choose, you can use an assortment of methods and lures to fool them. Live bait, artificial lures and flies all take their share of the bronze-colored bass. Jigs are a favorite because they imitate a variety of smallmouth forage, are inexpensive and get down quickly in the Menominee's swift current.

For more information on Menominee River smallmouths, contact the Crystal Falls office of the DNR at (906) 875-6622. For guide service, call Mike Mladenik at (715) 854-2055.