Smallies have a dark side. Photo: Joe Cermele
Smallmouth bass are very popular among anglers because of their willingness to take flies, their acrobatic leaps, and their fighting spirit. Although the species is native to North America, its original range was limited to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway drainages—stretching from southern Quebec and New Hampshire to North Dakota—as well as the Mississippi River drainage as far south as Alabama. But throughout the 19th century, smallmouths were stocked across the country. More recently, they’ve been stocked in places where they definitely shouldn’t exist, as Joe Cermele explains in an article in Outdoor Life:
For the most part, stocking and transplanting fish are well calculated endeavors, but problems arise when transplants end up in waters they’re not supposed to be. And despite our general love of the smallmouth bass, the reality is that they are one of the most destructive and disruptive fish in the country, causing more worry in many regions than even dreaded invasives like snakeheads and Asian carp.
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