Read the article with FishingTheSpot: the smallmouth bass
Keep an eye on this subject!
Thousands of species spotlights and techniques but also all the local information about your city!
Meet other anglers near you and share your fishing fishing trips, afoot or on a boat, at sea or in freshwater
See the fishing tripsThe Smallmouth bass
autumn
45 cm
Did you fish
this species this month?
The Smallmouth bass belongs to the Centrarchidae family. The individuals observed measure between 20 and 38 cm. They weigh from 250 g to 1 kg. They can live up to 26 years. They reproduce from May to July. The best time to catch them is in autumn.
Smallmouth bass is a fish with a strong body, compressed laterally. The head is broad and elongated. It is adorned with dark bars radiating backwards from the eyes. The back and top of the head are brown or golden brown, green or olive green. Contrary to its vernacular name, its mouth is rather large! Smallmouth bass has a long, rounded snout. The upper jaw does not extend beyond the upper edge of the eye. The anal fin has 3 strong spines. Both dorsal fins are slightly rounded and rather soft. They are linked and seem to form only one fin. The spines of the first dorsal fin are short and of almost the same length. The pelvic fins are joined by a membrane. The caudal fin is forked. The pectoral fins are transparent, all the others are opaque, dark or amber and decorated with black on the rays, spines or membranes. The back is darker and less golden than the sides. The flanks are marked with 8 to 15 thin vertical bars of dark appearance; this characteristic is more pronounced in juveniles. The belly of smallmouth bass is cream to milky in color. Body color varies according to size, but also according to its environment: in clear waters, it is dark and enhanced by pronounced contrasting marks, while in turbid waters, it is lighter and
The Smallmouth Bass lifestyle
Smallmouth bass is carnivore. It feeds at any time of day. Its diet consists mainly of crayfish, insects, and fish such as yellow perch and crayfish.
On a rocky or sandy bottom and at shallow depth, the male will sweep vigorously with its tail a circular location up to 2 m in diameter. Once the nest is ready, it then goes in search of a female. The nuptial parade begins, it is accompanied by biting and caressing. The female eventually lays eggs by rubbing its belly on the rocks. This operation can be repeated for up to three females, each of which can lay from 2000 to 5000 yellowish eggs. The male then focuses on fertilizing the eggs. The latter are adherent and remain stuck to the stones. Throughout this period the male will keep the nest fiercely and ventilate the eggs by shaking his fins. The eggs hatch 2 weeks later. The male father will continue to keep the fry until they reach a size of about 2.5 cm or approximately two weeks after hatching.
The Smallmouth Bass habitat
Smallmouth bass is fond of the clear, warm waters of lakes and rivers. It looks for rocky areas, dead trees at shallow and medium depths, it does not hesitate to visit wrecks. In summer, it is found at depths where the water temperature is between 15 and 26 degrees Celsius.
It can be found in Central Eastern North America, Europe.
The Smallmouth Bass angling
They can be caught with hook and line.
