Smallmouth Bass

freshwater fish · game fish · North America

Expert hunters. Smallmouth bass are fierce hunters that patrol rivers and lakes looking for smaller fish, insects, and crawfish to eat. They're famous for putting up a strong fight when hooked by fishermen.

Hefty fighters. The biggest smallmouth bass ever caught weighed about 12 pounds and measured nearly 27 inches long. That's about as long as a ruler and as heavy as a house cat.

Spread across continents. Smallmouth bass are native to North America but have been introduced to lakes and rivers in Canada and throughout the United States. Sometimes people illegally add them to new waters where they don't belong.

Sunfish family members. Despite their name, smallmouth bass belong to the sunfish family called Centrarchidae, which includes many other popular freshwater fish. They're the most famous type in their genus, called Micropterus.

Cool water lovers. Smallmouth bass thrive in cool-water lakes and streams where the temperature stays relatively chilly. This is why they do best in northern regions and higher elevations.