Robert,
I would have to say that smallmouth bass is probably my favorite fish. I've always had a thing for running water, and while I enjoy fishing for trout, I've also always had a thing for staying warm, which isn't always easy to do while standing in a trout stream. With the smallmouth, I get to wade in a stream that usually looks just like trout habitat, but I can do so in shorts and stay comfortable. Besides, as you know, Oklahoma offers much better venues for smallmouth fishing than it does for trout, at least in the area where I live.
Larry Compton