Largemouth Bass

What it looks like

• medium-sized, deep-bodied fish
• back and sides are green to olive
• belly is yellow to white
• broken horizontal stripe along body
• 9 to 11 dorsal fin spines
• deep notch between dorsal fins
• upper jaw extends beyond eye

Size

• length: 25-55 centimetres (10-22 inches)
• weight: 0.7-1.8 kilograms (1.5-4 pounds)
• Ontario record: 4.7 kilograms (10.4 pounds)

Similar fish

• Smallmouth Bass
• Rock Bass

Where it is found

Range

• southern Ontario through the lower Great Lakes
• some populations in Northwestern Ontario
• use Fish ON-Line, an interactive mapping tool, to find specific lakes and rivers

Habitat

• warm, weedy water
• clear, rocky lakes
• shallow muddy ponds
• slow-moving rivers

Find a fishing spot with Fish ON-Line

Angling tips

• often found in thick weeds and near sunken wood
• overhanging trees and docks are good largemouth hideouts
• best times to fish are early morning and late evening – they tend to take shelter during the day
• when fish aren’t biting, change your lure and your tactic
• strong-fighting fish, eager to strike most artificial lures
• keen sense of smell – can be fooled by adding scent to artificial bait
• bass season opens the 4th Saturday in June in most of Ontario

Common baits

• spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, crankbaits
• topwater plugs
• jigs
• a variety of soft plastic baits
• minnows and crayfish