Largemouth Bass
Largemouth Bass were origionally introduced in 1897. Largemouth Bass have large (bucket) mouths with upper jaw of an adult extending beyond the rear margin of the eye. They are dark olive/green on their backs with green sides that fade to a white belly. Thay have a dark band that runs from their gills to their tail on both sides. They have soft dorsal fins, usually 12-13 rays, that have a deep notch in the middle.
Average Length: 10 to 28 inches.
Average Weight: 8 ounces to over 15 pounds.
Habitat:
Largemouth Bass can be found in the Colorado, Gila, lower Salt and lower Verde Rivers as well as most reservoirs, small ponds, and warm water lakes. They prefer clear water with structure and cover. Generally, bass move to deep water during the day and return to the shallows to feed at night. Bass spawn from March through June.
Diet:
Largemouth Bass are verycarnivorous and will eat anything that moves. Their main diet consists of fish, such as, sunfish and shad. They will also take crayfish and aquatic insects, small mice/rats, young ducks, and other small animals/insects that may fall into the water, when other food is sparse.
Fishing Methods:
Largemouth Bass are caught on a variety of baits, both natural and artificial. Depending on the time of the year, bass can be caught in shallow water with a surface lure or deep with jigs or plastic worms. An angler should think STRUCTURE when bass fishing. Bass concentrate around submerged trees, aquatic vegetation and underwater drop-offs.
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