4. Smallmouth Bass

Scientific name:  Micropterus dolomieui

Background:  An exotic to South Africa.  The smallmouth bass is native to the fresh waters of eastern and central North America, and has been introduced to almost the entire United States and many other parts of the world.   This species was introduced to South Africa a few years after their Largemouth cousins.

Smallmouth Bass prefer colder waters than the Largemouth Bass.  They will primarily be found in rivers, but is also at home in deeper dams with rocky bottoms

Identification:  The colouring is variable with size, condition and habitat but usually they range from brown to olive or green on the back , with black to grey vertical bars on sides. The back is normaly dark and almost white below.  In contrast to the Largemouth bass, the upper jaw does not extend beyond rear margin of eye. Eye reddish in color. Shallow notch in dorsal fin. Soft dorsal fin has 13 to 15 rays.

Size: Smaller than the Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass on average reach lengths of up to 60 cm  The average weight in Southern Africa is around 0.6 kg.  The SA record is 3 kg. 

Diet: Smallmouth bass are carnivorous and feed on all sorts of animal life. Young fish feed on plankton and insects. Adult fish mainly eat fish and crabs, but will also eat aquatic and terrestrial insects, frogs, etc.   (basically everthing that can be swallowed. As in the case of the Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass make use of ambush tactics to catch their prey, normally making use of any cover available, i.e. submerged trees and stumps, thick weedbeds, reedbeds, overhanging vegetation, etc.

Breeding: The smallmouth bass spawns over a period of 6-10 days in the late spring to early summer. The male builds a nest and the female lays approximately 7000 eggs per pound of fish.  Nests are usually located near the shore in lakes and dams, or downstream from boulders (or some other obstruction that offers protection against strong current) in streams. Males may spawn with several females on a single nest. Eggs hatch in about 10 days if water temperatures are around 12 °C and as few as 3 days if the water temperature is around 25 °C.  Males guard the nest from the time eggs are laid until fry begin to disperse, a period of up to a month. On average Smallmouth Bass mature on around three years.

Uses:  Makes very good eating.

Fishing for Smallmouth Bass:  Smallmouth bass are generally smaller than largemouth, but their capacity for resisting capture and their acrobatics when hooked more than make up for any deficiency in size. The Smallmouth bass is widely regarded as the hardest fighting black bass.  Also see Largemouth Bass.