BASS SPECIES
Posted on January 28, 2009
How are all of you bass fishermen out there.
Are you missing your bass fishing as much as we are up here
Here is some information on the more common bass species that we catch on a regular basis.
We hope that you enjoy it and that you learn something useful.
As always…more to come
LARGEMOUTH BASS
Micropterus salmoides
COMMON NAMES:
Northern largemouth, black, green, bigmouth, mossback, cow, river and mud bass.
DESCRIPTION:
The short, chunky body of a largemouth makes these fish very capable of quick bursts of speed and great maneuverability. This is particularly helpful when pursuing prey as an adult or when escaping from predators when young. The most noticeable physical feature of the largemouth bass is its huge mouth, hence its common nickname ‘bucketmouth. Their color is usually dictated by their surroundings. Color patterns vary from light to dark green or even olive to black. This creates almost perfect camouflage to help protect the young while they hide in the weeds and to assist them in their unceasing hunt for prey.
SIZE:
Although the average largemouth bass caught by anglers weighs less than 3 pounds, this stocky fish provides a challenge, especially when it’s caught in the difficult environment full of snags like heavy weeds or woody cover. And always keep in mind that you can catch MUCH bigger largies than that. It is not at all uncommon to get fish over 5 lbs in the north and in the warmer climates they regularly go over 10 lbs.
WORLD RECORD
22 pounds 4 ounces in Georgia USA.
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
The native Canadian range of the largemouth bass covers the lower Great Lakes and the associated water systems of southern Ontario and Quebec. The whole of southern Ontario and much of Quebec hold thriving populations of fish, and there are scattered pockets of bass in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. In the United States, the central to lower parts of the Mississippi River and its watershed as well as the southeastern states are all part of the largemouth’s original range. Now, because of aggressive stocking programs, it can be found throughout the eastern portion of the United States in great numbers, and in many of the southern states, right across to California. In fact, there are isolated pockets of largemouth in every continental U.S. state.
HABITS AND HABITAT
They prefer water temperature of 60 – 80 Degrees Fahrenheit. Largemouth bass have a reputation for their ability to virtually inhale prey of larger proportions. In fact, the size of their huge mouth does give them the ability to swallow small waterfowl, snakes, and even the odd small muskrat or similar sized animal. There is however no question, that most of their prey consists of other smaller fish like minnows, small perch or sunfish, and members of their own species. For young smaller bass their diet is often supplemented with a variety of aquatic insects as well as crayfish. Most of the largemouth’s prey are found in the shallow weedy areas of lakes as that is where most of the bait fish will congregate. Although largemouth bass populations have been found in deep water, most of their feeding is in the shallow areas of the lake.
The easiest way to catch bass is when they move into shallow water to look for prey. Here the angler has the best chance of tangling with a big largie. Find an area of healthy weed growth or downed trees over a warm-water lake or slow-moving river and, chances are, you’ll catch a bass or two.
LARGEMOUTH BASS FISHING TECHNIQUES:
Largemouth Bass can be caught by many different methods including trolling artificial lures or casting live bait, but certainly the most popular way to fool these fish is by casting artificial lures. The angler who is consistently successful will try a variety of lures until the right lure in the right colour for the given weather and water conditions is found. The angler should concentrate his or her efforts in prospective weedy or woody areas of the lake or river that they are fishing. Early in the morning start by using fast moving top-water lures for actively feeding and more aggressive bass. If the fish are not hitting the surface lures, the angler might change to a spinnerbait. This lure is highly effective as it can be retrieved at a variety of depths and speeds, and it can be tossed into fairly heavy cover without tangling on wood or weeds. If the spinnerbaits fail to produce, the angler should try to get closer to the fish by tossing plastic worms or flipping jigs directly into the heavy cover. When fish are hesitant to strike fast moving lures, a jig or worm should be retrieved very slowly and twitched to give the fish a better chance at hitting the bait. Using live bait to fish for Largemouth is popular in so me areas like Florida where immense trophies are often taken in heavy underwater cover by using a big float with an 8 to 12 inch baitfish hooked below. In Canada, live worms, crayfish and 3 to 4 inch minnows are very effective choices.
LARGEMOUTH BASS TACKLE:
No other game fish in the world has had a larger variety of lures designed specifically for it than Bass. Top water lures like the Hula Popper and the Jitterbug have been popular for decades. Now, newer lures like the spinner baits, inline spinners, chatter baits and buzz baits are available in many colors and blade sizes and are very effective for more aggressively feeding fish. Weedless spoons are especially effective in heavier vegetation. Plastic worms are still one of the most popular lures because of their versatility. They can be used in a variety of ways from weedless to wacky, and they really do catch big-fish. With an unlimited number of colors from bubble gum to motor oil, as well as the old stand by colors like black, purple and green, the simple plastic worm catches more bass every year than any other lure on the market.
Rods for catching bass are also quite varied but most are heavier duty so that the fisherman can pull bass from the very dense weed cover in which they usually hide. A medium spinning rod works well for casting unweighted worms and other lighter lures that need to be tossed greater distances. You will need a decent weedless jig and a flipping stick or similar rod to pull big bass out of heavy weeds. The line needed for bass is also heavy duty for the same reason and should be braid. Casting worms into relatively open water requires braid in the 10 to 20 lb range but if you are going into heavy weeds or other cover we would go with 30 to 50 lb braided line. Just remember that braided line has a much smaller diameter than monofilament line of the same strength. 20 lb braid is the same diameter as 4 to 6 lb mono. Use a florocarbon leader if the water is particularly clear as it will make your line invisible.
TRY THESE TIPS:
1/Largemouth bass will often hit surface lures any time of the day so dont be afraid to try them especially in the morning.
2/A weedless spoon like the Heddon Moss Boss(an old favourite) Johnson’s Silver Minnow or a Rapala Minnow spoon worked across the lily pads, floating slop and stumps may entice a strike from fish.
3/We really like the use of a rat, snake or other weed free lure over the really heavy slop. Work it slowly over the top of the slop let it sit and then twitch it.
4/Remember when they hit it that you must wait until you feel the weight of the fish on your line before you try and set your hook or you will pull it out of their mouth.
5/Have a second rod ready with a heavy jig head and a large plastic so that if you have a strike attempt on the surface lure you can send the plastic into the same hole in the slop. As often as not you will get a strike on the back up rod and will bring in the fish that you just missed.
6/If you locate a really awesome looking piece of cover like a downed tree, make sure you cast to it a number of times with different lures and presentations. Slowly work your weedless lure all around the cover because sometimes big fish take a while to strike. Start by sitting as far away from the tree as you can while still casting accurately. First, cast along side the areas of the tree that stick out into the water the furthest , then work your way in to the other parts of the tree. Start with a spinner bait or similar lure to run along the outside of the downed tree, then move to other lures like weedless jigs and worms or other plastics as you cast closer to the inside of the tree
7/If the fish just aren’t biting for you, slow down your presentation. This tactic is overlooked by most fishermen. Generally speaking, the fish haven’t moved, they are simply inactive and not feeding aggressively. A slow moving plastic tipped jig or worm slowly moved over a log or through the weeds can be too much to resist, even to an inactive fish. Presentation is the key to any fishermens success, so when your bait hits bottom, pause it, then twitch the bait by shaking your rod tip, and then pause it again. Continue this throughout your retrieve.
______________________________________________________________
SMALLMOUTH BASS
Micropterus dolomieu
COMMON NAMES:
Northern smallmouth, black, brown, gold, green bass, bronze-back, redeye, smallie, jumper
Dr. James Henshall, a Cincinatti physician with a passion for fishing, promoted smallmouth bass — most commonly referred to at that time as “black bass” — as a superior fish deserving broad distribution throughout the country. In 1881 Henshall published the Book of the Black Bass, in which he described black bass as follows:
“As a food fish, there are few, if any, more palatable freshwater fishes, its flesh being firm, white, and flaky, and when cooked, nutty, tender, and juicy; it has few bones and little offal, and as a pan fish is unexcelled. Its game qualities are second to none, and it will thrive and multiply in waters where the trouts can not exist.“
DESCRIPTION:
The smallmouth bass is generally green with dark vertical bands rather than a horizontal band along the side. There are 13-15 soft rays in the dorsal fin, and the upper jaw never extends beyond the eye. The smallmouth bass has long been recognized as one of the feistiest freshwater game fish of North American. When an angler first experiences a smallmouth fight he is always impressed by the great leaps and exciting tailwalks. Like the large mouth bass, the smallmouth bass is shaped for maneuverability and will if allowed any slack line use this attribute to get off of the fisherman’s hook. There is little more exciting than catching river smallmouth, especially when hooked on light line. They can effectively be fished from a boat or the shoreline. The colouring of the smallmouth bass develops to perfectly match its environment. Thus, weed oriented smallmouth would take on an obvious greenish colour, while those that are more often found near rocky lake shoals are usually different shades of brown or light gold.
SIZE:
Although they are one of the most challenging of freshwater game fish, the average smallmouth bass weighs only 2 to 3 pounds. A fish over 5 pounds is generally a real trophy, but a fair number of six to seven-pound fish are caught every year. This is especially true of the great lakes area where for example on lake Erie you can routinely catch numbers of fish that are five pounds or more every fall.
WORLD RECORD
The world record stands at an intimidating 10 pounds, 14 ounces. It came from Dale Hollow Lake in Kentucky where quality habitat, optimum conditions, and a long growing season all contributed to produce this record.
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
Although the smallmouth bass was originally found only in eastern North America, it has now been introduced over a much wider area. It has been successfully stocked in most U.S. states and has had extensive success on Canada’s East Coast. Smallmouth now thrive in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and there are good populations in B.C., Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The native populations in southern Ontario and Quebec have expanded northwards to Timmins in Ontario and Hull in Quebec.
HABITS AND HABITAT
The smallmouth bass’s smaller mouth dictates the prey it can eat compared to its bucket mouthed relative, the largemouth. Mature smallmouth will feed on a variety aquatic insects, crayfish, and other smaller bait fish. Occasionally frogs will form a part of the smallmouth’s diet, if they are available. Smallmouth are generally more aggressive in nature than largemouth. This is partially due to the fact that they prefer a current, which the largemouth doesnt. This is known to stimulate a fishes metabolism and appetite. Males move into spawning areas once the surface temperature goes over 50 degrees Fahrenheit. In lakes, nests are usually located nearer to the shore on pea-size gravel bottoms, rocky outcroppings or deep bluffs. In rivers, they will nest downstream from boulders or some other obstruction that offers protection against the stronger current. Males can spawn with several females on a single nest. Eggs hatch in about 10 days if the water temps are in the mid-50s. They can hatch in as little as 2-3 days if the water temperature is in the 70s. Males guard the nest from the time eggs are laid until fry disperse. This can take up to one month. Like all other black bass, fry begin to feed on zooplankton, switching to insect larvae and finally fish and crayfish as they grow in size.
During the earlier part of the season lake populations of smallmouth are found in shallow to medium-deep water over rocky and sandy areas. The best areas have broken rock and rubble with lots of nooks and crannies to hide the schools of minnows as well as crayfish. If there is easy access to deep water, that area will have even more potential for larger numbers of smallmouth bass. When the water warms up in mid-summer, most smallmouth move into deeper water which may be up to 40 feet in depth. These areas are often close to their early summer haunts because smallmouth move very little throughout the year. In the fall, there is a general migration back to the shallow waters as the temperature drops. River smallmouth follow this same general pattern, feeding and holding in shallower water then retreating to deeper pools in the heat of the summer.
Smallmouth are usually found in clearer water than their cousin the largemouth bass. In general, Smallmouth relate to two types of habitat: moving waterand rock. The fish is specially adapted to live in streams and rivers. The smallmouth prefers cooler water than the largemouth, although both species can be found living in the same fishery. Because it is relatively intolerant of pollution, the smallmouth bass is a good indicator of how healthy an environment really is, though it can better adjust to changes in water condition than many other species.
SMALLMOUTH BASS FISHING TECHNIQUES:
There are many popular techniques for catching Smallmouth Bass. These include casting a variety of lures, drifting with live bait and fly-casting. The versatility of casting lures makes this the most popular technique among anglers from across North America. The incredible variety of presentations makes Smallmouth fishing both enjoyable and rewarding. The jig is probably the most popular lure, especially when it is cast over rock piles and shoals and then slowly hopped along the bottom back towards the angler. Minnow and crayfish colored jigs are amoungst the best for productivity, although gobie shaped and coloured plastics on a jig head are particularly effective in some areas of the great lakes. . The Mister Twister Sassy Shad in the natural minnow color on a jig is also a great combo for most fishing situations. Boat speed is ultimately important when drift fishing with jigs, as you need the jig head to consistantly make contact with the bottom in order to catch fish. You may have to use an electric motor to increase speed or drift socks to slow your speed down in order to reach and keep the appropriate speed. Crankbaits are sure to rank second in productivity. An effective technique consists of simply retrieving minnow imitating lures adjacent to rock piles and other fish holding structures currents breaks. When using crayfish imitating crankbaits, they need to bounce along the bottom so they mimic the natural movements of real crayfish which is one of their favourite prey. Adding a small weight like a split shot a foot or two in front of your lure will help it reach bottom in deeper water. Bait fishing for Smallmouth in rivers involves casting crayfish, their favourite food, into pools and current breaks. A lightly weighted bait will move naturally with the current so that the fish are not spooked. Bait fishing in lakes is a relaxing sport. Many anglers simply drift over deeper structures, sand bars, and rocky breaks until they encounter fish. They can then anchor close to the area to enjoy non-stop action.
SMALLMOUTH BASS TACKLE:
You can fish for smallmouth using a great variety of different gear. Most anglers will use a medium or medium-light action spinning or bait-casting outfit. Spin casting rods and reels are easier to use when casting unweighted plastics or lighter lures and will generally give you greater distance in your cast. The Smallmouth often live in clearer water which may dictate the use of light line to avoid spooking the fish. Because they are often caught in a relatively open, snag free environment, the lighter line can be a productive yet reasonably safe approach. We still prefer the use of braided lines for smallies because of it sensativity, its smaller diameter and its no stretch characteristics. If the water is particularly clear we would also strongly suggest the use of florocarbon leaders as they make your line virtually invisible and is very abrasion resistant which is helpful in rocky and woody areas. One of the most popular lures for Smallmouth is deffinitely the jig. A marabou, deer hair or one of the of Twister tail style plastic jigs are all extremely productive for either lake or river Smallmouth. The use of tube jigs still rules as the supreme fish catching method in some areas like the great lakes where schools of larger smallmouth roam and gravitate to large rocky areas in deeper water. Another popular lure type is the crankbait. Minnow imitating and crayfish imitating crankbaits can be fished in shallow or deepwater and can be adapted for river use as well. Slash or twitch baits can be very effective especially when the smallies are feeding closer to the surface such as the early morning. Plastic worms like the senko have been producing great catches for a number of pros over the past few years and they work pretty much all of the time. Don’t overlook spinner baits and small in-line spinners to tempt wary Smallmouth. The white spinnerbait is probably still the number one search bait for smallmouth bass. The number one live bait for Smallmouth is undoubtedly the soft shell crayfish, and these can out produce all other baits. Running a close second and third are minnows and leeches.
TRY THESE TIPS:
1/If you are fishing clear deep open water, use your electronics to find schools of fish as these guys dont usually move all that much. This will often be an area with a change in the bottom such as a rock pile or rubble. Drag a tube jig over the area where you have located fish. Boat speed is extremely important. Generally, your tube jig needs to make contact with the bottom in order to be effective.
2/ If you are unable to locate any schools in deeper water shoals look for under water points, weed beds, steeper drop offs etc. as fish may congregate in these areas. Try using a white spinner bait to search for fish. If you find them in an area then start trying different baits like twitch and slash baits like the Xrap. Make sure that you twitch them and then you let them sit. Waiting is hard but it is often on the pause that you will get the strike.
3/ In weed bed areas try using plastic worms, jigs with plastic trailers, maribou jigs and the like. Fat crank baits like the big O produce a wide slower wobble which work very well when you can navigate loose weed beds or along the sides of the weed bed or a drop off.
4/ If you find them on an open flat, try using any of the assorted deep diving lures that will get down nearer to the bottom. If the bait actually stirs up the bottom it is more likely to get a strike.
5/ Always, Always, Always have a second rod ready when you are fishing for smallmouth bass. If you get into a school which is common then you will find when you have one hooked there will often be a follower looking for any food bits that your fish might drop. This is a great opportunity. Tip the second rod with a tube or other plastic and have it handy. When you see a fish following then toss your bait into the area of the second fish and pay attention to your line as they will often hit when the lure is dropping.
6/ Windy weather attracts smallmouths. Fish the shallow sides of shoals, dropoffs, and other structures. Smallmouth bass will be drawn to these turbulent-water areas to feed on bait fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects.
____________________________________________________________________
Rock bass
Ambloplites rupestris
COMMON NAMES:
Redeye, goggle eye,
DESCRIPTION:
The rock bass has an overall colour that is brown with a golden-olive sheen or green with dark coloured or bronze areas. The belly is silvery to off white. Scales below the lateral line have a dark spot on them which line up to form horizontal rows. Their eyes are red or orange. The fin spines are darker than the fin membranes. Anal spine tips are white. The pectoral fin is pale yellow to olive and other fins are mottled black to brown with white spots. Rapid colour changes from predominantly black to silver with black blotches are not unusual.
SIZE:
Rock bass are usually six to eight inches long and weigh about the same number of ounces. You can catch rock bass that are up to 2 or more pounds but they are quite rare.
WORLD RECORD
The world record for rock bass is 3 pounds and was caught in Ontario Canada.
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
Found from southwestern Quebec across southern Ontario including the upper reaches of James Bay tributaries to Lake of the Woods, southern Manitoba and the Qu’Appelle River of eastern Saskatchewan. In the USA west of the Appalachian Mountains south to the Gulf Coast.
HABITS AND HABITAT
Rock bass are most often found in groups near rocks and docks in shallow, weedy lake margins and streams. Rock bass were observed to school during the day in rocky areas. At night they were mostly inactive and settled on rocks or logs. Food is a variety of aquatic insects, some surface insects, crustaceans such as crayfish and small fishes such as yellow perch, small carp and their own species. Life span is up to 13 years in lakes, but is only five to six years in streams. Spawning occurs in May and June. Older and larger males spawn earliest and thus have more chances to re-nest. There is considerable competition for females. Spawning males become black. A nest may contain eggs from more than one female and females will deposit up to 11,000 eggs in several nests.
ROCK BASS FISHING TECHNIQUES:
Rock Bass are very aggressive by nature and can be taken with a wide variety of baits and lures by still fishing, casting, trolling or fly-fishing. Bait fishermen use light lines and hooks somewhat larger than those used for other panfish. A wide variety of baits are used, such as worms, minnows, leeches, hellgrammites or various terrestrial insects such as crickets or grasshoppers. These baits are effective in lakes or streams. Baits are often suspended under floats or used as trailers on small jigs and spinners. Since Rock Bass have larger and tougher mouths than other sunfish, they will take lures much more readily. They are particularly vulnerable to lures during spawning as they defend their nests by aggressively striking out at anything that approaches them. They will also be especially susceptible to lures immediately after spawning when they are feeding heavily , and during the summer when they look for the deeper pools. Lake fishing for Rock Bass in summer is somewhat more difficult since these fish often form loose schools and move into deeper water. However if you can locate these schools rock bass can always be relied upon to hit the fisherman’s lure, regardless of the time of day.
ROCK BASS TACKLE:
A good panfish rod and reel will be fine for Rock Bass. The rod and reel should be a balanced match and should be suitable for use with much lighter lines, lures, and bait. They will often take very small spinners. Very small plugs such as the jointed Rapala, the smallest floating perch like rapala or very small quickfish are also effective. Jigs and jig-spinner combinations such as those used for Crappie and Sunfish are very popular and effective as well. Beetle Spins, Fuzz-E-Grubs, and Ugly Bugs all work especially well for Rock Bass. Fly fishermen can enjoy success with streamers, hair bugs, wet flies and poppers. Unfortunately, the ice fisherman is out of luck as the Rock Bass goes into near dormancy during the cold months.
TRY THESE TIPS: