Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides )

Description: Non-native. Introduced in 1897. Very large mouth with upper jaw of adults extending beyond rear margin of eye. Dark olive-green on the back with green sides shading to white belly. Dark horizontal band on each side. Deep notch in dorsal fin. Soft dorsal fin usually has 12 to 13 rays. Length: 10 to 28 inches. Weight: 8 ounces to over 15 pounds. Location and Habitat: Found in the Colorado, Gila, lower Salt and lower Verde Rivers and their associated reservoirs. A warm water fish that prefers clear water with structure and cover. Generally, bass move to deep water during the day and return to the shallows to feed at night. Bass spawn from March through June. Food: Bass are carnivorous, eating anything that moves. Their main diet is fish, such as, sunfish and shad. They will also take crayfish and aquatic insects when other foods are hard to find. Angling: Largemouth bass are caught on a variety of baits, both natural and artificial. Depending on the time of the year, bass can be caught in shallow water with a surface lure or deep with jigs or rubber worms. An angler should think structure when bass fishing. Bass concentrate around submerged trees, aquatic vegetation and underwater drop-offs. Table Quality: The meat is mild tasting, white, flaky, firm and low in oil content.