Thought I would share a little background on our friends Mr. and Mrs. Largemouth Bass. It was an interesting read for exspecially new comers to the sport. I was visiting Wikipedia and came across this great write up. The link to the site is
The Largemouth Bass


The Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a species of fish. Also known as Black Bass, Green Trout, Bigmouth Bass, and Lineside Bass. The largemouth bass is in fact, not a bass. It is instead a member of the Sunfish family. The name comes from its resemblance to members of the temperate bass family, which includes the striped bass.

The largemouth bass is marked by a series of dark blotches forming a jagged horizontal stripe along the length of each side. It can also be totally black. The upper jaw of a largemouth bass extends beyond the back of the eye. The average bass weighs 1 to 3 pounds and measures between 12 and 18 inches long. The largest of the black basses, the Largemouth has reached a maximum recorded overall length of 97 cm (38 in), and a maximum recorded weight of 22 lb, 4 oz (10 kg, 113 g). It can live as long as 23 years, and, along with the black crappie, is also known as the Oswego bass.

The largemouth bass's diet changes as it matures, consuming mostly small food items such as plankton and insects as juveniles. As adults their eating habits mature to include small fish, crayfish, and frogs. Largemouth bass have even been known to take small birds, and also small mammals such as mice and rats. Under the cover of grass, brush, or drop-offs, the largemouth bass will use its sense of smell, sight, and hearing to attack and seize their prey, although they mainly rely on sight.

Largemouth spawn in shallow lakes and ponds in the spring, when the water temperatures reach about 64°F and some spawn in 70 to 74 degrees. Most people have found that the larger fish spawn first and in deeper water. Females can lay up to a million eggs during each season in a shallow depression that the male forms in the ground. The male will then guard the eggs and fry, driving away any predators that come too close to the nest site.

Largemouth put up a very respectable fight for the sport fisherman, though many say their cousin species the smallmouth bass can best them pound for pound. Adult largemouth bass generally occupy the apex predator niche, even though they are preyed upon by many animals while young. This dignifies them with a level of sporting prestige as quarry. Anglers often fish for largemouth bass with fishing lures such as plastic worm, crankbait and spinnerbait.

It is common practice among anglers to release them alive. Largemouth bass respond well to catch and release because of their hardiness, and the ability of their large mouth to withstand repeated hook injuries without compromising their ability to feed or damaging their gills.

The IGFA's officially recognized heaviest largemouth bass on record was caught by George Perry at Montgomery Lake in Telfair County, Georgia, on June 2, 1932, and it weighed 22 lb. 4 oz. (10.1 kg). This was surpassed in March 2006 when Mac Weakley, of Carlsbad, California, pulled a 25 lb. 1 oz. largemouth bass into his fishing boat. However, the bass was not hooked in the mouth, was weighed on an uncertified hand-held digital scale, and was then released. This created a dispute about whether the bass should be counted as a record. This dispute was ended when Weakley decided not to enter the fish as a world record. Weakley, however, is reconsidering world record classification.

The largemouth bass is the state fish of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida.

Just sharing some background information on all of our favorite species of a fish.

Nunz

Nunz -

This was a good read for someone like me who is still new at bass fishing. I have definitely found that the more I learn about the actual bass, be it largemouth or smallies, the more successful you will be in the end.

Maybe by next summer, I will have a lot more knowledge and be able to put it all to good use. We can go out and practice, and maybe I can give our one of our angler friends a run for his money.

Thanks Nunz!! That was interesting. One thing though, Linsides was what I though they called Striped Bass, or Stripers.

I've also heard them refered to as Jailbirds. (The stripers that is.)

Good fishing to ya, later......... geobass

Geo,

Line Sider is the common alias of the Striped Bass, however several DNR, DEP & DEC sites refer to the Largemouth bass as having the same Alias. Here's another article from Texas Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Click Here for full article

Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)


Illustration © TPWD
Other Names
Black Bass, Green Trout, Bigmouth Bass, Lineside Bass
Description
Largemouth bass grow 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) during their first year, 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) in two years, 16 inches (40 cm) in three years. They are usually green with dark blotches that form a horizontal stripe along the middle of the fish on either side. The underside ranges in color from light green to almost white. They have a nearly divided dorsal fin with the anterior portion containing nine spines and the posterior portion containing 12 to 13 soft rays. Their upper jaw reaches far beyond the rear margin of the eye.
Life History
Except for humans, adult largemouth bass are the top predators in the aquatic ecosystem. Fry feed primarily on zooplankton and insect larvae. At about two inches in length they become active predators. Adults feed almost exclusively on other fish and large invertebrates such as crayfish. Larger fish prey upon smaller bass.

In Texas spawning begins in the spring when water temperatures reach about 60°F. This could occur as early as February or as late as May, depending one where one is in the state. Males build the nests in two to eight feet of water. Largemouth bass prefer to nest in quieter, more vegetated water than other black bass, but will use any substrate besides soft mud, including submerged logs. As in Guadalupe bass, once the female has laid eggs in the nest (2,000 to 43,000) she is chased away by the male who then guards the precious eggs. The young, called fry, hatch in five to ten days. Fry remain in a group or "school" near the nest and under the male's watch for several days after hatching. Their lifespan is on average 16 years.

Immature largemouth bass may tend to congregate in schools, but adults are usually solitary. Sometimes several bass will gather in a very small area, but they do not interact. Largemouth bass hide among plants, roots or limbs to strike their prey.
Habitat
Largemouth bass seek protective cover such as logs, rock ledges, vegetation, and man-made structures. They prefer clear quiet water, but will survive quite well in a variety of habitats.
Distribution
Largemouth bass were originally distributed throughout most of what is now the United States east of the Rockies, including many rivers and lakes in Texas, with limited populations in southeastern Canada and northeastern Mexico. Because of its importance as a game fish, the species has been introduced into many other areas worldwide, including nearly all of Mexico and south into Central and South America.
Other
Two subspecies of largemouth bass exist in Texas: the native Micropterus salmoides salmoides and the Florida largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides floridanus, which has been introduced into many Texas lakes. The largemouth bass is by far the most sought-after fish in Texas. When anglers were asked to "name the fish you prefer to catch in freshwater in Texas", they chose largemouth bass three to one over striped bass, four to one over white bass, nearly five to one over channel catfish, and nearly ten to one over flathead catfish and white crappie. Because of the strong interest in largemouth bass fishing, there are hundreds of bass angling clubs in Texas devoted to fishing and conservation. Bass fishing adds greatly to the Texas economy each year and largemouth bass are highly prized for their value as food. Because of the species' popularity, it has been introduced into many waters in which it did not originally occur. As with nearly all aquatic species, pollution and drought are the biggest threats to the largemouth bass population.

Thanks Brendan... another interesting read and great post. I feel like if I stick around for another four years I may be able to get a degree from LMBU.

Good fishing to you guys, later....... geobass

Thanks Brendan for helping Geo out with more details regarding my post on Bass. Geo, I also posted some real interesting info on a bass' sense of smell and taste. A really good read.

Nunz