Mrs. Jeanette McKelvey of Moulton used a flyrod to best this 7-pound, 14-ounce smallmouth bass August 2, 2007 from Wheeler Lake.

The coloration of smallmouth bass can be highly variable as this November Pickwick catch by Tom Fouts and Jim Bruce shows (fished with Steve Hacker on Pickwick Lake, November 2007.

Frank Wojchiechowski shows a February 24, 2007, smallmouth bass from Pickwick Lake caught while on a trip with Steve Hacker.

Lawrence and Wes with some smallmouth bass.

Randy Wiek holds a six pound smallmouth bass caught with a tube jig on March 20, 2007 from Pickwick Lake while fishing with Steve Hacker.

A November 2006 client of Steve Hacker, Pickwick Lake smallmouth guide, shows two excellent smallmouth bass.

Jamey Tankersley holds a 5-pound, 3-ounce smallmouth bass caught from Lake Pickwick in April of 2007.

Steve Fox caught this smallmouth bass on Pickwick Lake in early April of 2007

Jim Bruce and Tom Fouts from Cornelia, GA, hold Pickwick Lake, Alabama, smallmouth bass.

Steve Hacker guided these smallmouth bass anglers on Pickwick Lake during the last day of November 2006.

Tom Fouts with his big catches of the day from Pickwick Lake.

The highest numbers of smallmouth bass are caught in the fall, but the largest smallmouth bass are caught in the late winter and early spring.

Smallmouth bass come in a variety of patterns and colors.  Juveniles especially are often a tiger pattern of colors.