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Largemouth Bass
Species Information
| Scientific Name: | Micropterus salmoides |
| Environment: | Lake, River, Stream |
| Ideal Temp: | 65-75°F (18-24°C) |
| Technique: | Casting, Fly, Jigging, Trolling |
| Lure Type: | Crankbaits, Flies, Jigs, Plugs, Soft Plastics, Spinnerbaits, Spoons, Topwater, Trolling |
| World Record: | 10.12 kg (22 lb 4 oz) Lake Biwa, Shiga, Japan |
| Other Names: | largemouth, largemouth bass, black bass, widemouth bass, bigmouth, bucketmouth, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, gilsdorf bass, Oswego bass, southern largemouth, northern largemouth, large mouth bass |
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America. It is also known as the widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, gilsdorf bass, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth and northern largemouth. The largemouth bass is the state fish of Alabama (official freshwater fish), Georgia, Mississippi, Florida (state freshwater fish), and Tennessee (official sport fish).
The largemouth is an olive green fish, marked by a series of dark, sometimes black, blotches forming a jagged horizontal stripe along each flank. The upper jaw (maxilla) of a largemouth bass extends beyond the rear margin of the orbit. In comparison to age, a female bass is larger than a male. The largemouth is the largest of the black basses, reaching a maximum recorded overall length of 29.5 in (75 cm). The fish lives 16 years on average.
They prefer locations with lots of structure, such as submerged vegetation, brush piles, stumps, boat docks and standing timber. Underwater points, humps, drop-offs, bridge pilings and old road beds are also favored haunts, particularly in reservoirs.
Research indicates that the largemouth bass is also the most intelligent freshwater fish, able to distinguish and avoid a particular type of lure after only one encounter with it.
Largemouth are keenly sought after by anglers and are noted for the excitement of their fight. The fish will often become airborne in their effort to throw the hook, but many say that their cousin species, the smallmouth bass, can beat them pound for pound. Anglers most often fish for largemouth bass with lures such as plastic worms (and other plastic baits), jigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. A recent trend is the use of large swimbaits to target trophy bass that often forage on juvenile rainbow trout in California. Live bait, such as nightcrawlers, minnows, frogs, or crawfish can also be productive. In fact, large golden shiners are one of the best baits to use to catch trophy bass, especially when they are sluggish in the heat of summer or in the cold of winter. They are the most popular freshwater game fish. Casting lures and plugs during dawn and dusk hours around cattails and sunken logs will give you the best chance to land one of the lunkers.
Latest Largemouth Bass Fishing Reports and Spots
The weather is out of this world nice right now in south west Virginia. Lows in the 50-60’s each morning and highs in the mid 80’s is keeping t (
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July is a funky month some years. The fish are moving out to the summer holding patterns and can be finicky when and what they want to eat. Mos (
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August is here. It’s going to be HOT and the fishing can be hot as well….. if you spend the time looking for them. School is out for the kids b (
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Chilly mornings lots of fog and cooling water temps are going to get things moving this September. Each year is different with how the weather (
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Bring on the big fish! It’s about to get very good out on Smith Mountain Lake as we turn from late summer into early fall for the region. Fish (
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Wow did that weather take a turn from October to November. We were on a path to have another great fall bite with some super cold nights in Oct (
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Wow fishing has been super tough this year. With the lack of rain low water and unusually warm air temps we are still stuck in a late fall patt (
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It’s finally here! After another year of a mild early winter we have finally turned the corner and have true winter air temperature and water t (
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Spring is here and it’s coming quick. After a little break I took to Florida I am back and rocking and rolling on the home waters and my lord I (
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It’s time to catch um. What felt like a super long winter that never seemed to end with the up and down weather has finally worked itself out. (
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