Smallmouth Bass

Micropterus dolomieu

Least Concern Freshwater

Longueur maximale

69,0 cm

Poids maximum

5,4 kg

Couleur

Bronze-green to golden-brown body with …

Plage de profondeur

1-7m

Famille

Centrarchidae

Catégorie

Game Fish

Overview

Widely judged the best-fighting freshwater fish pound for pound, the smallmouth bass is a bronze, athletic sunfish of clear, cool, rocky waters. Marked by red-orange eyes and thirteen to fifteen dark vertical bars, it favours gravel and cobble in moderate current and is sensitive to turbidity, making it an indicator of good water quality. Native to the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes drainage and the Ohio and upper Mississippi systems, it has been introduced widely across the United States. More acrobatic than its largemouth cousin, it reaches about 69 centimetres and delivers clean, firm, mild flesh. Valued as both sport and table fish, the species is assessed as Least Concern.

À propos

The smallmouth bass is widely considered the best-fighting freshwater fish pound-for-pound. Found in clear, rocky streams and lakes, it is more athletic and acrobatic than its larger cousin, the largemouth bass.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value
Maximum Length	69,0 cm
Maximum Weight	5,4 kg
Plage de profondeur	1-7m

Coloration

Bronze-green to golden-brown body with 13–15 irregular dark brown vertical bars or blotches on the flanks; red-orange eyes; belly pale cream; dark brown radiating lines from eye to snout.

Habitat & Distribution

Clear, cool rivers and streams of eastern North America from the Great Lakes to Tennessee. Prefers rocky and gravelly substrate in moderate to fast current. Highly sensitive to turbidity; indicator of water quality.

Type d'eau

Freshwater

Plage de profondeur

1-7m

Aire de répartition

Pays

🇨🇦 Canada

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Distribution Map

Present Not recorded countries

Conservation Status

Least Concern IUCN Red List

Smallmouth Bass is classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Comestibilité et gastronomie

Goût

Clean, white, mildly flavored flesh with low fat; considered slightly firmer and more flavorful than largemouth bass. Excellent pan-fried or baked; a respected table fish in the Great Lakes region.

Informations sur la pêche

Poisson de pêche sportive

Oui

Cote de combativité

8/5

Appât recommandé

crayfish, tubes, jerkbaits, drop shot

Taxonomy

Ordre	Centrarchiformes (Sunfishes)
Famille	Centrarchidae (Sunfishes)
Espèces	Micropterus dolomieu

Names in Other Languages

Language	Name
Spanish	Black bass de boca pequeña

Foire aux questions

Can you eat Smallmouth Bass?

Clean, white, mildly flavored flesh with low fat; considered slightly firmer and more flavorful than largemouth bass. Excellent pan-fried or baked; a respected table fish in the Great Lakes region.

How big does Smallmouth Bass get?

Smallmouth Bass can grow up to 69.0 cm long and weigh 5.4 kg.

Where is Smallmouth Bass found?

Native to the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes drainage south through the Ohio River system and upper Mississippi basin. Prefers clear, cool, rocky streams and wave-swept lakeshores; widely introduced across the United States. Clear, cool rivers and streams of eastern North America from the Great Lakes to Tennessee. Prefers rocky and gravelly substrate in moderate to fast current. Highly sensitive to turbidity; indicator of

Is Smallmouth Bass endangered?

The conservation status of Smallmouth Bass is Least Concern according to the IUCN Red List.

What family does Smallmouth Bass belong to?

Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) belongs to the family Centrarchidae (Sunfishes) in the order Centrarchiformes (Sunfishes).