Southwest Missouri is a place of pilgrimage for bass anglers. The major reason? Massive reservoirs.

One of the top bass fisheries in the nation is at Table Rock Lake. The state-record largemouth was taken from the Missouri portion of Bull Shoals Lake. And there are other bass fishing gems in this part of the state as well: Stockton Lake, which produced the state record smallmouth bass, and Pomme de Terre. So Missourians have plenty of chances to fish big waters for bass in this reservoir-rich section of the state.

But though opportunities abound on the large impoundments, big-water fishing has its drawbacks. The reservoirs are appealing to both tournament circuits and recreational anglers, so the impoundments experience heavy fishing pressure every spring. The massive size of Table Rock also makes it difficult for a novice angler to pinpoint bass, especially during the spring when the fish migrate from their deep-water haunts to the shallows.

For beginning anglers, and those who want to avoid the crowds, a host of small waters in the Ozarks represent a readily available alternative. Some small lakes, ponds and strip pits managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation offer plenty of bassing action in settings that all but assure solitude -- fisheries ranging from artificial impoundments covering a couple of hundred acres to ponds and strip pits a couple of acres in area.

Many of these waters are close to Springfield, which makes them ideal for local anglers wanting to spend a couple of hours after work fishing for bass. The small lakes also offer excellent opportunities for those anglers who don't own a big fancy bass boat. Plenty of bass can be taken here either from the bank or in belly boats, two-man crafts or small johnboats.

Despite their diminutive size, the MDC-managed lakes throughout this region still produce bass both of high quality and in large quantities. The smaller lakes also contain the same type of cover and structure seen at Table Rock, Stockton and Pomme de Terre: laydowns, rocky banks, channel swings, points and coves. However, anglers have a unique opportunity to fish a variety of aquatic vegetation, which is a rarity at the bigger waters in this part of the state.

The fishing patterns on the smaller waters mimic those on the bigger reservoirs, except the small lakes tend to warm up more quickly than do the massive impoundments. So bass in the miniature lakes should be closer to spawning in April than those in Stockton or Pomme de Terre.

Since the MDC-managed lakes receive less fishing pressure than do the big Ozarks waters, anglers can rely on "Bubba" baits and heavy line to catch bass. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and jigs with pork frogs or plastic craw trailers are all productive power baits for taking bass from the smaller lakes. Anglers should rely on 14- to 25-pound monofilament or braided line for throwing these lures into the vegetation and brushpiles that are common on most of these waters.