Smallmouth Bass Native
🔬 Micropterus dolomieu
Hard-fighting fish preferring rocky bottoms and clear water.
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Bite this month
Good
Best season
Spring, Fall
Keeper size
14" at ~4 yrs
Regulations
14" min · limit 5
Where to Catch Smallmouth Bass in Michigan
| Lake | County | Population |
|---|---|---|
|
Arbutus Lake
510 acres
|
Grand Traverse | |
|
Bear Lake
3,350 acres
|
Manistee | |
|
Burt Lake
17,120 acres
|
Cheboygan | |
|
Charlevoix Lake
17,260 acres
|
Charlevoix | |
|
Crooked Lake
650 acres
|
Emmet | |
|
Crystal Lake
9,854 acres
|
Benzie | |
|
Douglas Lake
3,400 acres
|
Cheboygan | |
|
Elk Lake
7,793 acres
|
Antrim | |
|
Fletcher Pond
8,600 acres
|
Montmorency | |
|
Glen Lake
4,944 acres
|
Leelanau | |
|
Gun Lake
665 acres
|
Allegan | |
|
Hardy Pond
4,025 acres
|
Newaygo | |
|
Higgins Lake
9,600 acres
|
Roscommon | |
|
Intermediate Lake
682 acres
|
Antrim | |
|
Lake Leelanau
8,562 acres
|
Leelanau | |
|
Lake Leelanau North
3,520 acres
|
Leelanau | |
|
Lake St. Clair
260,000 acres
|
Macomb | |
|
Long Lake
1,410 acres
|
Grand Traverse | |
|
Mullett Lake
16,630 acres
|
Cheboygan | |
|
Otsego Lake
1,989 acres
|
Otsego |
Smallmouth Bass Conservation Status
Native Smallmouth Bass is native to Michigan waters. Common in clear, rocky lakes statewide. Numbers are strong in northern Michigan. Michigan requires a minimum length of 14" to keep. The daily bag limit is 5.
Smallmouth Bass Habitat & Behavior
Clear, rocky lakes and rivers. Prefers gravel and rock structure. More common in northern Michigan. DNR records show Smallmouth Bass present in 434 Michigan water bodies. Highest stocking activity on record is in Schoolcraft, Cheboygan and Alger counties. Bite activity rates Good or better in Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct and Nov.
Best Smallmouth Bass Techniques
Tubes, drop shot, jigs near rocky points
Best Smallmouth Bass Baits
Crayfish, tubes, drop-shot rigs, hair jigs, topwater poppers
Smallmouth Bass Fishing Regulations in Michigan
14"
Minimum size
5
Daily limit
10
Possession limit
Year-round (catch-and-release Jan 1–last Sat in April on many inland lakes)
Season
Same regulations as Largemouth Bass on most inland waters. Great Lakes: no minimum size, 5/day.
⚠️ Regulations shown are general statewide guidelines for 2025. Rules vary by water body and change annually.
Always verify current regulations in the official Michigan DNR Fishing Guide before you fish.
Michigan DNR Smallmouth Bass Stocking Records
Smallmouth Bass Stocking Events by Lake
| Date | Lake | County | Quantity | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2, 2023 | Hoffman Lake | 500 | 3" | |
| Jul 15, 2017 | Long Lake Alpena County | Alpena | 300 | 8.8" |
| Jul 15, 2017 | Long Lake Grand Traverse County | Grand Traverse | 300 | 8.8" |
| Nov 5, 2016 | Evans Lake | 558 total | 4"–6" | |
| Nov 5, 2016 | stocking event | 533 | 6" | |
| Oct 25, 2012 | stocking event | 25 | 4" | |
| Nov 1, 2016 | Barnes Lake | 786 total | 1.5"–5" | |
| Nov 1, 2016 | stocking event | 100 | 5" | |
| Oct 27, 2014 | stocking event | 686 | 1.5" | |
| Oct 29, 2016 | Lake Lapeer | 800 | 5" | |
| Oct 14, 2016 | Lake Le Ann | 1,400 | 5.5" | |
| Oct 16, 2015 | Croswell Impoundment | 1,333 total | 2.5"–7" | |
| Oct 16, 2015 | stocking event | 450 | 7" | |
| Nov 6, 2014 | stocking event | 500 | 2.5" | |
| Oct 12, 2012 | stocking event | 383 | 5" | |
| Jun 18, 2015 | Moccasin Lake Alger County | Alger | 238 total | 11"–11.8" |
| Jun 18, 2015 | stocking event | 50 | 11" | |
| May 28, 2014 | stocking event | 42 | 11.8" | |
| May 27, 2014 | stocking event | 146 | 11.8" | |
| Jun 18, 2015 | Lavender Lake Alger County | Alger | 97 total | 7.7"–11.8" |
| Jun 18, 2015 | stocking event | 25 | 7.7" | |
| May 28, 2014 | stocking event | 18 | 11.8" | |
| May 27, 2014 | stocking event | 54 | 11.8" | |
| May 28, 2014 | Dutch Fred Lake Schoolcraft County | Schoolcraft | 50 | 11.7" |
| Oct 25, 2012 | Lake Thirteen | 200 | 4.4" | |
| Oct 24, 2012 | Rainbow Lake | 1,500 | 6" | |
| Oct 17, 2012 | Budd Lake Clare County | Clare | 2,000 | 3.4" |
| Aug 23, 2012 | Tourist Park Marquette County | Marquette | 2,179 total | 7"–12" |
| Aug 23, 2012 | stocking event | 94 | 12" | |
| Aug 15, 2012 | stocking event | 85 | 9" | |
| May 4, 2012 | stocking event | 2,000 | 7" |
Showing the 25 most recent stocking events for Smallmouth Bass, across 15 lakes. Lakes with several events can be expanded.
Smallmouth Bass DNR Stocking History
Total stocked: 852,490
Stocking events: 235
Peak year: 1989 (169,171)
235
Historical stocking events
98
Lakes stocked
Jul
Next likely stocking window
Peak Stocking Months
Jul
Aug
Oct
Top Stocked Lakes
Cheboygan harbor, Lake Huron
Cheboygan Co.
Manistique River
Schoolcraft Co.
Forecast based on historical DNR stocking patterns. Not a guarantee of future stocking. Verify with the Michigan DNR.
Estimated Mature Smallmouth Bass, November
Based on DNR stocking records from 2021–2023 (3–5 years ago), these 1 lake likely hold mature Smallmouth Bass at or near 14" keeper size today.
Estimates based on average stocking-size survival rates. Actual populations vary by habitat, fishing pressure, and lake conditions. Data sourced from Michigan DNR.
Best Times to Fish Smallmouth Bass
Angler Tips for Smallmouth Bass
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