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![Smallmouth Bass](Graphics/Shedd_SmallmouthBass.gif)
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieui
- Length: 15 to 20 inches
- Weight: 1.5 to 5 pounds
- Coloring: brown, golden-brown through
olive to green on back; sides lighter; cream to milk-white underside
- Common Names: northern smallmouth bass,
black bass, brown bass, white or mountain trout
- Found in Lakes: Michigan, Huron,
Ontario, Erie and Superior
- "Inch for inch and pound for pound
the gamest fish that swims."
Enthusiastic comments like this
entered in the journals of the 19th and early 20th century paid tribute to this scrappy,
well-proportioned fish. Because of these qualities and their relatively small numbers,
Lake Michigan smallmouth bass are reserved exclusively for sport fishing. During spring and summer, they concentrate in shallow
bays and on reefs in upper Green Bay and off the Door County peninsula. Essentially a
nonmigrating fish, they retreat to pools, undercut banks or fairly deep water to avoid
bright daylight. They are most active in early morning and evening. During winter, they
gather near the bottom and feed little until spring and water temperatures rise to about
47 degrees F.
Many consider the flavor and texture of
smallmouth bass superior to all Great Lakes fish except the whitefish. The low fat content
of its flesh makes it easy to freeze for later consumption. If the lake's waters remain
clean, these plucky game fish will undoubtedly continue to be a favorite attraction in
some areas of the upper Great Lakes.
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copyright University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute![gull_logosmall.gif (2053 bytes)](Graphics/gull_logosmall.gif)
Brook Trout illustration copyright 1998 Gina
Mikel
Smallmouth bass photographs (c) Shedd Aquarium
(e-mail)
Drawing from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Last updated 11 February 2002 by Seaman |