I guess I'll start by introducing myself. My name is Joseph and I live in Alberta, Canada. The lakes are still frozen up here and I'm chomping at the bit to get out for some fishing.

I recently discovered a lake near me containing small mouth bass and want to fish it but don't know where to start. Bass are not common up here, in fact it is the only lake within an 8 hour drive of my home that I know has bass in it. I picked up a couple of topwater poppers and a couple buzzbaits but don't know if there are any others i should buy.

Attached is a depth chart of the lake. Where would you fish?

Huh, well I aint no Smallmouth guy be I sure like the looks of the area with what appears to be 4 islands in a row with the nifty looking peninsula, I would have to make a couple cast or 30 on the drop-off side; I would get on that 10' break line.  

Agree with Catt, the whole island area and that long point over by the two islands. Fish the break line around that deep 35' hole, look for gravel bars and rocks, the smallies will be on those.

The high % lure is a 3" Gizit or tube bait rigged on a 3/8 oz stand up or Gizit jig. Green with red flakes work well.

http://www.canyon-plastics.com/

Good looking lake, you shouldn't have any problems locating the smallies, start with that long point and fish all around it.

WRB

I picked up a couple of topwater poppers and a couple buzzbaits but don't know if there are any others i should buy.

Smallmouth will take a wide variety of lures, including your topwaters, but you ought to have more than just topwaters. I'd add crankbaits, both lipped and lipless, spinnerbaits, and grubs and tubes on jigheads.

First off welcome.  I'm no smallmout guy either, but they will certainly will hit what you bought.  However, if your lakes are still frozen I would imagine it would be awhile.  I would go buy some suspending jerkbaits and tubes from what I hear the smallmouth guys saying.  They should hit those before your topwaters until the water warms up.  Some smallmouth affcianados will be around shortly though to tell you exactly what you need.

Thanks for the advice, I have plenty of jigs, crankbaits, swimbaits, spinners, plugs, and what-not but I will pick up some tubes.  I'm hoping to hit the lake by the end of May.  I've always fished for Pike, Walleye, and Perch but this will be my first time fishing for bass.

The northerns and walleyes tend to be nearer the inlet and outlet areas and closer to weed cover. The smallies tend to stay out on deeper breaks during the day time and move up a little tighter during low light periods. Both smallies and walleyes will eat smaller baitfish, the smallies preferring crawdads if available, but baitfish also make up a part of their prey. Smallies like to be around rocky areas.

Jigs with craw type soft plastic trailers work well, just keep the trailer under 3" long for best action. Tubes are always a high % lure for smallies. Underspins like Swarming Hornets are also a good choice with a tiny fluke trailer, everything in that lake will eat that. Small 4 1/2" to 6" Roboworms, drop shotted, in Oxblood/red flake and Aarons magic w/red flake will work and Gulp minnows on the drop shot will also work. Flashy jerk baits and spinnerbaits work except the small northerns may be a pest. I would work the entire 10 to 15 foot break area around that drops off into deeper water. Good luck, looks like a fun little lake to fish.

WRB