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.