| Type |
Small Mouth |
Largemouth |
| Scientific Name |
Micropterus dolomieui |
Micropterus salmoides |
| Distribution |
North America: St. Lawrence-Great Lakes system, Hudson Bay and Mississippi River basins from southern Quebec in Canada to North Dakota and south to northern Alabama and eastern Oklahoma in the USA. Introduced into many countries for sport fishing. |
North America: St. Lawrence - Great Lakes, Hudson Bay (Red River), and Mississippi River basins; Atlantic drainages from North Carolina to Florida and to northern Mexico. The species has been introduced widely as a game fish and is now cosmopolitan. |
| General |
Bass are most active around 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Around 50 degrees, they seldom eat. Over 80 degrees, they may be stressed and again seldom eat.
If you catch one bass, you're likely to catch more in the same area. Once you catch one, slow down and fish the area well. Watch the depth - the deeper the water, the tighter the school. Bass tend to school in groups of similar size fish.
Usually they will be on the bottom or something that like the bottom. Generally, the closer to the bottom they are, the more likely they are to feed.
Bass don't hunt for prey. They lie in wait and ambush their intended victim. Bass will use cover to launch an ambush. They'll use almost anything - rocks, pilings, wood, weeds, submerged cover, deep water, etc.
When in the mood to feed, they will put themselves transitions so it is easy to jump out and catch their dinner. Bass prefer to on or close to intersection of two or cover features.
Bass don't stay long where there's no food, would you? You need to be able to find the food source in order to find the bass! |
| Habitat |
Rivers |
Look for bass near but out of the direct current. Objects such as stumps or logs will break the current and Bass will hold downstream of these. A large log or rock in the middle of the current may be a great location. Food will flow right past a holding Bass. Bars where baitfish can be trapped are also likely places to try your luck! |
| Lakes |
Bass fishing can be excellent in lakes. Large lakes can offer a ton of structure and therefore opportunity to catch Bass. Reefs, weed lines, humps, holes and islands are great places to look. Clear-water lakes that warm up too much for trout provide great Bass habitat. |
| Where to Find |
Spring |
Pre Spawn |
| When waiting for the water to warm up, watch for warm rain. A warm rain will warm up a lake faster warm air is able to. |
Smallmouth tend to be more active in cold water than Largemouth. The smallmouth may be at 20 or 30 feet or more. They are waiting for the temperature to rise and then they move up to the spawning beds.
When the water hits the mid-50s, the larger Smallmouth will start to move up to shallow flats for spawning. Look for flats that are tapered very low and extend into the lake for a fairly long way before dropping off. Smallmouth are generally be found between 10-25 feet deep. Cover is not required, but will add to the attraction of the area. |
Largemouth will start to move up when the water temperature starts climbing above the 45-degrees. Generally largemouth will be found in 2 - 12 feet of water. Start fishing for on the Northwest corner of a lake, where the water will be a bit warmer. Focus on the outside parts of structure near the spawning area. |
| During Spawn |
| Lakes do not warm up evenly. Because of the temperature difference in different areas, not all the bass will spawn at the same time. Generally the Northwest side will warm up first. The spawning area must have direct sunlight, look for shallow flats protected from rough water. |
| Smallmouth will spawn on fine gravel next to objects like wood, boulders and weeds between 3-15 feet. |
Largemouth usually nest within 10 feet of shore in depths from 1 to 6 feet. The male chooses nesting area that is easy to defend, usually near bulrushes, a sunken log or a boulder, and with easy access to deep water. The male will not nest within 30 feet of another spawning nest if it is visible. |
| After Spawn |
| Again because a lake heats unevenly, all Bass will not spawn at the same time. Fish points and drop-offs near the flats and look for suspended bass. Typically, Bass spend about two weeks recuperating from the spawn and will not eat much until they have recovered. |
| Summer |
In deep lakes, Smallmouth will move to deep structure as the water gets into the 70s and 80s. They may be found in 10 to 45 feet of water or even deeper. They are much more difficult to catch.
Smallmouth will often move into shallower water after dark to feed. Look for rocky banks with about a 45-degree slope with deep water nearby. Points near deep-water, offshore humps and channel breaks can also be good. Smallmouth will use deep water as a form of cover. They will hide in deep, dark water similar to a largemouth hiding in a weed-bed.
Smallmouth will hold on long points as the water cools down. You will find them on the end of points close to deep water. The sides of points near deep water can also be productive. They will be suspended over deep channels, but may still enter shallow waters during the day. |
As the water temperature rises, largemouth will conserve energy, and won't move around as much. Look in cover anywhere between 1-20 feet of water. They will be holding to ambush their prey.
They will move to deeper ledges, points, rock piles and drop-offs. How deep will depend on several variables including temperature, oxygen, structure, and current. Don't forget that they still need their food. Larger fish will generally go deeper. They will go into shallow water to feed in the morning and evening.
Largemouth will be more active as the water cools. Use faster moving baits to fish long, tapering points near deep-water. You will find some Largemouth shallow and some deep. Fishing the long points will cover both areas. Look for steep shorelines, almost vertical drop-offs and weeds. Switch to smaller lures and slow down presentation as the water cools down. |
