Take your pick
Some of these are related to local rivers in Virginia, but many good 'generic' bass fishing books.
Journey on the James by Earl Swift / University Press of Virgina.
(book):
"Smallmouth Bass" by Dick Steinberg
"River Fishing-a happy world" by Dan Gapen Sr.
"River Smallmouth Bass-how-to fish" by Dan Gapen Sr.
(video):
In Search of Smallmouth
Advanced Smallmouth for Lakes and Reservoirs
Stalking Smallmouth
Smallmouth Bass-America's Greatest Gamefish
Ed Gertler, author of Keystone Canoeing
Tony Bean's Smallmouth Guide
Angler's Guide to Bass Patterns by Larry Larsen
Talks about how to pattern bass. Again, like most of Larsen's books, it's a bit superficial but despite that it's a decent read.
Bass Guide Tips : Tactics of Top Fishing Guides by Larry Larsen
I don't guide so don't know if it will help an aspiring fishing guide but the book does offer some good tips on how to locate fish fast.
Bass Lures Tricks & Techniques : new, innovative ways to fish artificial baits by Larry Larsen
If you're a newcomer to the sport of fishing, get this book. It will help you understand the different baits and how their meant to be fished.
Productive Tactics for Shallow Water Bass by Larry Larsen
Again, not bad. Not too technical or in depth but a good starting point.
Modern Book of the Black Bass by Byron Dalrymple
Old book - very scientific. I recently read that this book has been updated and re-released. I haven't seen the new version but the old one was excellent.
Circle on Bass: Bass Wisdom From a Master by Homer Circle
I liked this book probably because I like Uncle Homer. It's more of book for an intermediate staged bass fisherman.
Caught Me a Big 'Un... and then I let him go! by Jimmy Houston
If you want stories about Bass Fishing, then this book is for you but don't expect to learn anything useful.
Roland Martin's 101 Bass-Catching Secrets by Roland Martin, edited by Tim Tucker
Ok but nothing is gone into any depth. You may pick up a tidbit here and there but ol' Roland doesn't explain the reasoning behind any one of his secrets. He just kind of blurts them out and expects you to accept them at face value.
Denny Brauer's Jig Fishing Secrets by Denny Brauer and Monte Burch
Not bad. If you never fished a jig successfully, get this book. I think you'll find it helpful. On the other hand, if you're already proficient with a jig, don't bother... he won't tell anything in this book you don't already know.
Denny Brauer's Winning Tournament Tactics by Denny Brauer and Monte Burch
A tournament fisherman may look at the title and think that this book is for him... DON'T BOTHER. The book doesn't really talk much about how to prepare for and fish a tournament. It does talk about fishing tactics in general but nothing not covered anywhere else by other writers.
Big-Bass Secrets by the Experts at "Outdoor Life" magazine
This book is actually reprints of articles originally published in "Outdoor Life" magazine. Well, like the magazine, some articles are good some are not. The book is worth the read though.
Behavior of Teleost Fishes by T.J. Hara
Ok, this is a scientific book. But if you're into that kind of stuff, read this book.
Catching Bass Like a Pro by Steve Price with Guy Eaker
More of an intermediate book, kind of like Uncle Homer's.
Largemouth Bass - An In-Fisherman Handbook of Strategies by a bunch of In-Fisherman guys
Just get this book. Best book on Largemouth Bass Fishing I ever read. Read this book and when Mr. Jig mentions "early stage oli lake", you'll know what he's talking about.
Smallmouth Bass - An In-Fisherman Handbook of Strategies by a bunch of In-Fisherman guys
Be sure that when you buy the In-Fisherman Largemouth book, that you buy this one too.
Just do it!
I recently ordered from the library: Knowing bass : The Scientific Approach to Catching More Fish by Dr. Keith A. Jones. The book isn't in yet but I'm really looking forward to reading it because this is the guy that did all those studies for Berkley (Pure Fishing). Supposedly, all the results from Berkley's tests are in this book.
Charlie Brewer's little booklet about Crappie and Bass Slider Fishing.
HOOKED!, its hardbound, and on the cover is a guy who looks like 'ol Bill Clinton, hooking up a smallie.
Finesse Bassing-Michael Jones
Stream Smallmouth-Tim Holshlag
In Fisherman Largemouth bass Fishing in the 90's
Here's one I liked not because it taught me anything but becasue it was just plain interesting to hear a legend talk....How to Think like a Fish-Tom Mann
Them Ole Brown Fish" by Billy Westmorland.
The Scientific Angler -available at most local libraries; covers interesting topics ranging from color perception of fish at specific depths to line stretch and oxygen and thermal considerations.
The Philosophical Fisherman by Harry Blaisdale
Written by a trout fisher at heart. Includes chapters on bass, pike but you can tell where his true love is. This book is old but timelessly humourous. Worth the search
Stream Smallmouth Fishing Tim Holschlag
"Small Stream Bass"
John Gifford
The Countryman Press 2002
"River Smallmouth Bass - How to Fish"
Dan D. Gapen Sr.
No publisher listed 1987
Them ol' Brown Fish- Mr. Billy Westmoreland.
The Complete Book of Tacklemaking by C. Boyd Pfeiffer. Excellent book covering everything from molding plastics to rod building. I reference that one a lot. Another good one is Lure Making (
i think that's what it's called) by A.D. Livingston. Good book regarding lead head lures.
Fishing Rivers & Streams by Dick Sternberg. – The Hunting and Fishing Library
800 328 3895
Lucas on Bass by Jason Lucas
Orvis' "Reading a Trout Stream" by Tom Rosenbauer
Hook, Line and Sinker , by Gary Soucie
A Guide's Secret Smallmouth Patterns , by Mike Mladenik
The Complete Book of Tacklemaking by C. Boyd Pfeiffer.
Virginia Whitewater by Roger Corbett
"How Fish Work: Fish Biology and Angling"
by Thomas J. Sholseth, DVM
Frank Amato Publications
2003
ISBN 1-57188-239-1
All of Dan Gapen's books are interesting. I remember reading articles by him in Fishing Facts magazine twenty years ago. I bought these three at once to save shipping but they overlap quit a bite:
River Fishing "a happy world "
River Smallmouth Bass "how-to fish"
Small Stream Fishing "Creeks to Love and Remember"
I would get Small Stream Fishing "Creeks to Love and Remember" if I were getting only one.
http://www.gapen.com/
https://ssl10.securedata.net/gapen/books-videos.html
Ken Schultz's Fishing Encyclopedia.
This book weighs 9 pounds and makes all prior books of it's type look like pretty feeble efforts.
I am still combing it for an error i can pounce on Ken about but no luck so far....Shucks.
For 2 BEAUTIFUL coffee table book/dream books, look at:
Greatest Fishing Locales of North America and the recently released, Spectacular Fishing.
Both of these are to be prized by all RS members as my beautiful mug appears in the Beauchene chapter in each.
Best.
dick
"Spoonplugging" by Buck Perry...
IN PURSUIT OF GIANT BASS by Bill Murphy
Virginia Whitewater
A paddler's guide to the rivers of Virginia
Roger Corbett
Keystone Canoeing
Maryland and Delaware Canoe Trails
Garden State Canoeing
Edward Gertler
Fishing the Upper Potomac River
Ken Penrod
Flyfisher's Guide to Virginia
David Hart
The James River Guide
The New River Guide
The Shenandoah and Rappahannock Rivers Guide
Bruce Ingram
The Susquehanna River Guide
Christopher Beatty
Wildwater West Virginia
Davidson, Eister, Davidson, and Walbridge
The Shenandoah River: An Illustrated Canoe Log
Matacia and Cecil
The Delaware River Smallmouth Bass Fishing Handbook
Blaine Mengel, Jr.
The Delaware River
Fulcomer and Corbett
Blue Ridge Voyages
Corbett and Matacia
Classic Virginia Rivers
Ed Grove
The books by Corbett and Gertler are particularly useful and well written. They are paddling guide books. The Ingram, Hart, and Penrod books are written for fishermen.
Larry Dablemont's "Rivers to Run"