Creature Feature: All About That Bass
The hobby and practice of fishing is not an easy pastime to master. From hooks, knots, and knowing what fish do and do not like often comes down to time, practice, and patience. In some instances, fishing can even turn comical.
For example:
Besides for pleasure, there are other reasons why fishing can be an important tool or action when it comes to fish and wildlife. Knowing what kind of fish are living in the water when caught can give anglers and ecologists an idea as to what the aquatic ecosystem is like. Here at the Johnson Nature Center, our swamp-dredged pond hosts a number of freshwater fish. While the bluegills and sunfish act like a bunch of sheep whenever a visitor walks on the dock on a warm sunny day, our other fish that we are featuring in this month’s Creature Feature tends to hide and lurk away from the surface.
Although they look very different when compared to smaller fish, freshwater bass in North America are still a part of the same family as sunfish and bluegill, the Centrarchidae family. Of all the fish that are associated with the name “bass”, the two most popular and widely known of this group includes the largemouth bass, and the smallmouth bass. Both of which can be found throughout all of the American midwest.
There are a few ways to compare and contrast largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. One of the easiest ways is to observe how far back the upper jaw, also called maxilla, extends on the fish. If the maxilla extends beyond the eye, then that is a sign that it is a largemouth bass. A second observation anglers can make is looking at the color and details displayed on the body. If the fish is darker in color and features horizontal lines, then they are positive signs that the bass is a largemouth. For a smallmouth, the horizontal lines are replaced with vertical lines. There can also be some differences as to what the two types of bass prefer as an ideal environment. For example, smallmouth bass prefer cooler and more open waters while largemouth bass prefer warmer, shallow waters so they can sit back and wait for unsuspecting prey.
Participant in the Johnson Nature Center’s catch-and-release family fishing event with a largemouth bass.
As predators of freshwater habitats, a bass’ diet consists of a wide variety of prey options, including but not limited to fish, crayfish, insects, and frogs. However, if a bass’ habitat or environment is too dense or complex, they may begin to act less like predators. Studies done by Savino & Stein (1982) on the predator-prey interactions between largemouth bass and bluegills suggest that the more aquatic vegetation there is per square meter, the less success they have as predators of bluegill. Therefore, the amount of time largemouth bass are on the hunt would largely depend on how often it has visual contact with the fish around them.
One thing that both bass have in common is a similar process for spawning. In the spring, male bass clear the area for a nest composed of either sand, muck, or gravel, depending on where they decide to clean up shop. If a female arrives at a nesting site, eggs are then laid and fertilized by the two bass. There are some abiotic factors that can determine whether a nest is ultimately successful or not. For example, Lukas & Orth (1995) found that smallmouth bass spawning sites, when experiencing high water flow, typically led to failure. It only takes a few days for the fertilized eggs to hatch, and the newly hatched bass will then stay with the male around the nest for approximately a few weeks to a month. From this point on, they are ready to live on their own. See if you can spot some of these fish at the Nature Center when the warmer seasons return!
Click here and here to learn more about bass
References and Further Readings:
Lukas, J. A., & Orth, D. J. (1995). Factors affecting nesting success of smallmouth bass in a regulated Virginia stream. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 124(5), 726-735.
Savino, J. F., & Stein, R. A. (1982). Predator-prey interaction between largemouth bass and bluegills as influenced by simulated, submersed vegetation. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 111(3), 255-266.
Submitted by Zach Mork, naturalist, November 2022