“In December and January, work deeper water. Smallmouths move from late summer spots into 15 to 25 feet of water on the sides of points on the main lake and major creek arms. Look for points that drop steeply into 30 to 40 feet of water. The Silver Buddy catches 90 percent of my fish then, with the Hoss Fly or a jig-n-pig accounting for the rest.”

Guides: Fred McClintock, 931/243-2142; Mike Johnson, 931/864-3362. Lodging: Horse Creek Resort, 931/243-2125; Star Point Resort, 931/864-3115; and 15 other marinas with lodging, too.

9. Kentucky Lake, Kentucky-Tennessee -- In the wooded, low rolling hills of southern Kentucky and northern Tennessee lie a pair of long, narrow reservoirs with wonderful populations of smallmouth bass. Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake, and the intervening tourist mecca known as the Land Between The Lakes, are well known to traveling fishermen. The lakes are famous for fabulous largemouth fishing, but fewer folks seem aware of the world-class potential of the smallmouth fisheries there.

“Fishing has been great on Kentucky,” says Tommy Akin, a public relations specialist who works with Bill Dance in Tennessee. “The draw is size more than numbers, but it’s easy to land 10 to 20 smallmouths in the 21⁄2- to 7-pound class during peak times. Kentucky Lake is truly a trophy fishery.

“Fishing peaks in July and August,” Akin says, “which usually is a down time for smallmouths on big Southern reservoirs. At that time, bass move out on the river bars on the main lake. The best bars are composed of gravel and chunk rock, and the best way to approach them is with Carolina rigs, spinnerbaits, and jig-n-pig combos.

“March and April are key months, too,” Akin continues. “Smallies move up on shallow gravel bars to spawn in 4- to 6-foot depths. That’s right,” Akin anticipated my next question, “the water’s not so clear as in deeper lakes like Pickwick or Dale Hollow. Jigs, minnowbaits, and plastics rigs prove consistent in spring on Kentucky. And if fishing’s not good, it’s a short drive to Barkley.

“The area has a long growing season down here, producing good fish quickly. Yet, even in summer, fish are seldom deeper than 15 feet, so they’re easily approached by most fishermen.”

Guide: Glen Stubblefield at Buchanan’s Resort, 901/642-2828. Lodging and camping: Paris Landing State Park, 901/642-4311.

10. Lake Champlain, Vermont-New York -- In-Fisherman contributor Rich Zaleski was one of the few not surprised at the results of the B.A.S.S. Top 100 Pro-Am on Lake Champlain in September 1997. “All the pros envisioned running south and fishing murky water for largemouths,” Zaleski says. “Instead, they ran north and fished clear water for both species. Five of the top 10 places were won with smallmouths. In this tournament, a 2-pound average put you in 97th place. It took a 3-pound average just to make the money. Dion Hibdon came in second, fishing smallmouths, with 56.9 pounds for three days”

Smallmouth fishing on Champlain is excellent and unexploited, Zaleski says. “It’s an amazing fishery,” he adds. “Lots of smallmouths are caught on weed and shallow rock patterns, even though the fish have lots of deep rocky structure to choose from. It’s the best combination largemouth-smallmouth fishery in the country, even better than the Thousand Islands area (on the St. Lawrence River) was in its prime. How long will it stay that way? Nobody knows. We’re catching smallmouths that have never before seen lures.”

Peak time is September or October, according to Zaleski. “Smallmouth fishing is best on the Vermont side, though it’s good in New York, too. When fish are bedding in June, the fishing is fantastic, too. In Vermont, a special catch-and-release season opens the second Saturday in April and runs until the season opener on the second Saturday in June. Season opens the third Saturday of June in New York. “St. Alban’s Bay and Mallets Bay are the hottest areas with the best accommodations,” Zaleski added.

Lodging: St. Alban’s -- Chamber of Commerce, 802/524-2444. Lodging throughout area (including Mallets Bay) -- Regional Chamber in Burlington, 802/863-3489. For a free publication called the Lake Champlain Fishing Guide, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, 802/241-3700. Guide: Doug Bishop, 802/287-4092.