🏞️ Freshwater

Smallmouth Bass

Micropterus dolomieu

Often called "the gamest fish that swims," the smallmouth bass is prized by anglers for its powerful fighting ability relative to its size. Found in clear, cool streams and rocky lakes, it inhabits cleaner, colder water than its largemouth cousin. Its bronze coloring and vertical bars make it visually distinct, and it is considered one of the hardest-fighting freshwater fish.

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Typical Size
10–20 inches (25–51 cm) typical
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Weight
0.5–4 lbs (0.2–1.8 kg) typical; record over 11 lbs (5 kg)
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Lifespan
6–12 years in the wild
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Water Type
Freshwater

🗺️ Habitat

Clear, cool streams with rocky or gravel bottoms, and clear rocky lakes in northern North America. Prefers cooler water temperatures than largemouth bass.

🔍 How to Identify Smallmouth Bass

  • 1Smaller mouth that does not extend past the rear of the eye
  • 2Bronze or brownish body with vertical dark bars (not horizontal stripe)
  • 3Red eyes are a distinctive feature
  • 4Three dark streaks radiating from the eye
  • 5More torpedo-shaped body compared to largemouth bass

🍽️ Diet

Crayfish, aquatic insects, small fish, hellgrammites, and other invertebrates

💡 Fun Facts About Smallmouth Bass

  • ★Smallmouth bass can jump multiple times when hooked, earning their reputation as fighters
  • ★They thrive in rivers with riffles, runs, and pools — classic trout habitat
  • ★Smallmouth are highly sensitive to water quality, making them indicators of healthy ecosystems
  • ★They can hybridize with spotted bass in areas where both species overlap
  • ★In some Canadian lakes, smallmouth bass have been introduced and are considered invasive

🛡️ Conservation Status

Least Concern — stable populations across their native range

🔗 Related Species

Largemouth BassRainbow Trout

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Learn more:

How to Identify Fish: A Beginner's GuideMost Common Freshwater Fish in North America← Back to All Fish Species