Focus on Fish Gallery Guide Focus on Fish Final | Page 16

Smallmouth Bass
Habitat and Diet:
The smallmouth bass is a member of the sunfish family.
Smallmouths bass are named for the fact that their lower jaw
does not extend back past it's eye (the largemouth,s jaw does).
They like to inhabit both river and lakes. Smallmouths prefer
cooler water than their largemouth cousins. When in rivers,
they choose clear, gravel-bottoms runs, and in lakes they like
shallow, rocky areas.
Smallmouth bass have quite an appetite! They eat mostly small
fish, frogs, and insects, but they show a preference for crayfish
when they are available.
Relationship to humans:
Smallmouth bass are not only delicious, but fun fish to catch
because they are good fighters when hooked. This makes them
very popular and sought-after by anglers.
Fun/Unusual fact:
The Michigan state record for a smallmouth bass is 9.25 lbs and
27.25" long, caught in 1906!