Fish of the Columbia River
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieuidolomieui = after M. Doiomieu, a mineralogist of Paris
Body
Total adult length ranges from 10 inches to 20 inches (25.4 cm to 51 cm). A full-grown adult can weigh more than 10 pounds (4.5 kg). The mouth of the smallmouth bass extends to the middle of the eye. The young have 3 vertical bands on the caudal fin (the tail).
Food
Smallmouth bass fry eat crustaceans such as copepods and cladocerans. When they are still small (between 1 and 2 inches long) they change to a diet of insects and begin to eat fishes. Adult fish have been reported to feed on insects, crayfish, and fishes. At night, smallmouth bass generally lie motionless on broken-rock river bottoms, whereas in the early morning they are usually near the edge of the current and feeding.
Smallmouth bass prefer lakes of moderate size, clear water, and gravel bottoms, and occasionally cold, swift-flowing streams. Preferred water temperatures are from 70º to 80ºF (21º to 27ºC). They spawn in early summer in nests constructed on a gravel and sand bottom, and the eggs and young are tended by the male. They are highly regarded as game fish.
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
||