Largemouth Bass

While not as highly sought after as the Smallmouth Bass or Walleye on Lake Erie. The Largemouth Bass is still caught by many anglers.

Those that fish for largemouth enjoy the fight this sport fish puts up.

Largemouth bass grow between 4 and 8 inches in the first year, 8 and 14 inches in the second year, and about 18 inches in their third year. They have dark blotches and are mostly green, the blotches create a horizontal stripe down the middle on each side. The belly can be light greenish to almost white.

Their dorsal fin is nearly divided with the front portion having nine spines and the back portion having 12 to 13 soft rays. The upper jaw reaches far behind the back margin of the eye.

About Largemouth Bass on Erie

Fully grown largemouth are top predators in the aquatic system. the Fry feed normally on zooplankton and some insect larvae.

At around two inches long they then become active predators. Adult bass feed exclusively on smaller fish and large invertebrates such as the crayfish. Larger fish even eat smaller bass.