Smallmouth Bass

The smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), originally from the midwestern United States, can now be found across most of the continental United States, Hawaii, Canada, and Mexico. They are primarily found in the shallow, rocky areas of lakes and river pools. This species is typically bronze to black in color with dark brown bands on its sides. The maximum known total length of a smallmouth bass is 69 cm. Adults of this species eat a variety of prey, including crayfish, insects, and other fish. They are known to predate on native salmonids in California’s Central Valley, posing a challenge to juvenile salmonid survival and recovery. During spawning, males build nests that are approximately three to four feet deep and will guard the nest and young. This species was largely introduced outside of its native range by the United States Fish Commission and state fish commissions by intentional stocking as a popular game and sport fish.

Fun Fact: Usually, males exhibit high site fidelity, meaning that they will build nests in locations very close to nests that they built in previous years.