The name "black bass" is collectively used for three species of bass also known as largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass. The fish proposed for introduction is the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. It is green with dark blotches forming a dark line along the sides of the body. Because the upper jaw extends far behind the eye, its mouth is relatively large, as the name suggests.
In many states in the U.S., it is the most popular game fish. Hundreds of clubs and numerous magazines promote it as a sport fish, and an estimated 26 million Americans fish for this species. The meat is light, flaky, and tasty, with low oil content. Trophy-sized individuals are common. The world record fish, caught in Georgia, weighed 22 pounds, 4 ounces. Lengths of 32 inches have been recorded.
Eggs are laid in quiet water two to eight feet deep. Each female lays as many as 40,000 eggs. The male guards the nest. There may be two or three spawnings per year, depending on water temperature. The young hatch in five to 10 days and feed on plankton and insect larvae.
Bass are voracious predators, willing to eat almost anything that moves. When they reach about two inches in length, they begin to prey on other fish, frogs, salamanders, snakes, small rodents, and small birds. (In the U.S., they contribute to the health of a pond ecosystem by keeping bluegill populations under control.) Invertebrate prey includes crayfish, crabs, worms, insects, and mollusks. The bass tend to remain concealed among rocks or logs in a small home area and wait for food animals to come by. They swallow their prey whole.
Largemouth bass survive well in almost any clear-water environment. Its original distribution covered most of the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains, but the species has been introduced into most of Mexico and Central and South America, as well as a wide area of Europe.
Bass fishing is an exciting sport. The fish can be caught with the kind of tackle that any U.S. angler would use, but have special appeal to those in scuba gear using spears. They will strike lures aggressively and swim rapidly. Studies of their behavior reveal a great wariness and reluctance to be fooled twice by artificial bait or even live bait on a hook.
Raising bass in a commercial hatchery environment has proved to be quite successful and profitable. The young fish can be trained to eat food in pellet form.
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