A bronze-colored bass beloved for fighting hard pound-for-pound harder than nearly any freshwater gamefish. Distinguished from largemouth by a mouth that ends below the eye.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of the order Centrarchiformes. It is the type species of its genus Micropterus, and is a popular game fish sought by anglers throughout the temperate zones of North America, and has been spread by stocking —as well as illegal introductions—to many cool-water tributaries and lakes in Canada and more so introduced in the United States. The maximum recorded size is approximately 27 inches (69 cm) and 12 pounds (5.4 kg).
Source: Wikipedia — Smallmouth bass Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Bronze-green torpedo-shaped fish with vertical bars on flanks.
Similar species. Largemouth Bass. Spotted Bass.
Voice. Silent.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Aquatic plants, insects, smaller fish.
Behavior. Highly aggressive. Strong fighter. Cycles populations with crayfish abundance.
§ Range
Native to north-central US/Canada; widely stocked
§ Habitat
Clear cool lakes and rivers with rocky bottoms
§ Threats
Climate-driven warming pushing them into cold-water trout streams, agricultural runoff, dam impacts.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the smallmouth bass is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Practice catch-and-release. Support clean cool streams. Oppose dam construction on trout/smallmouth waters.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Smallmouth bass
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Micropterus dolomieu
- IUCN Red List · taxon 61253
- iNaturalist · taxon 49622
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Micropterus dolomieu
§ Sources cited
- American Fisheries Society
- IUCN Red List 2013
