Smallmouth Bass Fishing in Minnesota
Pound for pound the hardest fighting freshwater fish in Minnesota. Found in clear, rocky lakes and rivers, especially in the Boundary Waters and St. Croix River.
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
Pound for pound the hardest fighting freshwater fish in Minnesota. Found in clear, rocky lakes and rivers, especially in the Boundary Waters and St. Croix River.
Size Limit
No minimum
Daily Bag
6 (combined with largemouth)
Season
Continuous catch-and-release, harvest May-February
State Record
8 lb 0 oz
West Battle Lake (1948)
Best Months to Fish
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
What to Use
Live Bait & Natural
CrayfishLeechesHellgrammites
Lures & Artificials
Tube jigsNed rigsCrankbaitsTopwater poppersDrop shot rigs
Minnesota Lakes with Smallmouth Bass
547 lakes in our directory have smallmouth bass — sorted by size.
Lake of the Woods (MN)
Lake of the Woods County
725,582.7 acres
Rainy
St. Louis County
210,200.2 acres
Mille Lacs
Mille Lacs County
128,250.02 acres
Leech
Cass County
103,443.8 acres
Vermilion
St. Louis County
39,272.25 acres
Lac la Croix
St. Louis County
29,596.66 acres
Basswood
Lake County
25,952.96 acres
Namakan
St. Louis County
24,066.28 acres
Kabetogama
St. Louis County
24,034 acres
Saganaga
NOT IN MN County
18,766.52 acres
Minnetonka
Hennepin County
14,205.54 acres
Otter Tail
Otter Tail County
14,078.61 acres
Regulation Notes
Catch-and-release during spawning season.
More Minnesota Fish Species
Plan Your Smallmouth Bass Trip
Find lakes, guides, and bait shops for your next smallmouth bass fishing trip in Minnesota.
Explore Lakes Find a Guide Bait & TackleRegulations shown are statewide defaults. Some waters have special regulations — always check the current Minnesota DNR regulations before fishing. A Minnesota fishing license is required for ages 16+.