Caught still-fishing with worms, leeches, frogs & crayfish
SMALLMOUTH(also known as black bass, brown bass & bronzeback bass)
IDENTIFICATION & FEATURES:
Jaw extends to mid-point of eye
8-15 thin vertical bars
Green to golden-brown back blending into golden sides and a cream-coloured belly
HABITAT:
Prefers cool clear water
Often found near rock shoals and areas with a rocky bottom
SPAWNING:
Smallmouth Bass reach adulthood at 3-6 years
Spawns is late spring and early summer
FOOD:
aquatic insects, crayfish, frogs & fish
ANGLING:
Takes crank baits, plugs, flies, spinners and spinner baits
Caught still-fishing with worms, frogs, crayfish, leeches and minnows
SPOTTED BASS (also known as
Kentucky Spotted Bass, Spotted Black Bass)
IDENTIFICATION & FEATURES:
Irregular lateral stripe is similar to, but more broken than in largemouth bass.
Jaw does not extend beyond the back margin of the eye when mouth is closed.
Spots on scales form "rows" of strips on whitish belly area.
HABITAT:
Spotted bass inhabit flowing streams and are more tolerant of slow, warm, turbid water than smallmouth. In lakes, spotted bass are found in deeper water. They prefer rocky bottom areas as well as areas with steeply sloping sides.
SPAWNING:
Spawning takes place in the spring when water temperatures reach 63 to 68 degree F. Males clean out a nest on a gravel or rock bottom, usually near heavy cover. After the eggs are laid and fertilized, males guard the nest in a manner similar to largemouth bass males, remaining with the fry until they are about one month old.
FOOD:
Crayfish and immature insects make up the bulk of their diet.
They also eat small fish such as bluegill.
ANGLING:
Spotted bass are usually caught much deeper than largemouth and are more inclined to school. They are taken frequently from streams, sharing stringers with green sunfish and smallmouth bass.
