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Micropterus salmoides (Lacepède, 1802)
Largemouth Bass
Family: Centrarchidae
Introduction to the Fish

Photograph

© Mike Pearson     (Photo ID #78318)

Map


Click on the map to view a larger version.
Source: Distribution map provided by Don McPhail for E-Fauna BC

Species Information

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 12; Vertebrae: 30 - 32. Mouth large; maxillary extending beyond the eye. Pelvic fins not joined by a membrane. Green to olive dorsally, milk-white to yellow ventrally, with a black band running from the operculum to the base of the caudal fin. Caudal fin rounded. Caudal fin with 17 rays (Ref. 2196).

Source: FishBase. Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr 1991 A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p.

Biology

Species Biology

Inhabits clear, vegetated lakes, ponds, swamps. Also in backwaters and pools of creeks and rivers (Ref. 5723). Prefers quiet, clear water and over-grown banks. Adults feed on fishes, crayfish and frogs; young feed on crustaceans, insects and small fishes. Sometimes cannibalistic. Does not feed during spawning; as well as when the water temperature is below 5°C and above 37°C (Ref. 30578). Popular game fish in North America. Preyed upon by herons, bitterns, and kingfishers (Ref. 1998).

Source: FishBase. Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr 1991 A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p.

Distribution

BC Distribution and Notes

Like the smallmouth bass, this eastern North American species was introduced into B.C. to provide angling opportunities; however, they wreak havoc with native fishes and little can be done to control their spread once they are introduced into an open system like the lower Fraser River. Only time will reveal the full extent of the impact of largemouth bass on aquatic biodiversity in the Fraser Valley; however, illicit introductions of this voracious predator into drainage systems where they do not occur constitute an inexcusable act of ecological vandalism

Source: Information provided by Don McPhail for E-Fauna BC.
Global Distribution

North America: St. Lawrence - Great Lakes, Hudson Bay (Red River), and Mississippi River basins; Atlantic drainages from North Carolina to Florida and to northern Mexico. The species has been introduced widely as a game fish and is now cosmopolitan. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.

Source: FishBase. Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr 1991 A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p.
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Status Information

Origin StatusProvincial StatusBC List
(Red Blue List)		COSEWIC
ExoticSNAExoticNot Listed



BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer--the authoritative source for conservation information in British Columbia.

Additional Range and Status Information Links

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 University of Alaska Museum

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