Bass: Key Facts on America’s Favourite Sportfish

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Bass Species Hub Feature Image

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Largemouth bass are the prime target for the majority of inland anglers in the United States.

Bass are large, predatory fish that take lures and flies well and can be pursued pretty much year round.

They are found in a wide variety of water.

And while there is a lot of skill in bass fishing (just ask the bass tournament pros!), bass are also a good species to target when you are learning. There are big enough populations of them to ensure that there is decent action most times you go bass fishing.

And when you get used to fishing for bass, you can graduate to more exciting ways of catching bass such as fishing topwater frogs or fly fishing for bass.

Facts about Largemouth Bass

underwater picture of a largemouth bass lurking near a snag

Bass are opportunistic feeders that will eat anything from crawfish and shad beneath the surface to frogs, insects and even small mammals from the water’s surface.

Bass can cope with a wide range of water temperatures and flows and levels of turbidity. They are tough fish with remarkable attributes, some of which we’ve summarised here:

Bass fishing gear and advice

Largemouth bass lure popper in mouth

Other types of Bass: Smallmouth, Peacock and More

How to Catch Peacock Bass Feature Image

Seasons, Times and Weather for Bass Fishing

Bass fishing hot weather man holding bass in sun 2

Bass can be caught year round, but generally spring, summer and fall offer the pick of the fishing in most areas

Bass Fishing Locations

Looking for a good place to wet a line for bass? We’ve got you covered with Jeff Knapp’s guide to the best bass fishing lakes in America. And if you are chasing the big ones, here are his tips on how to catch a 10lb bass.

And if you don’t have a bass boat, no problem. Here are Jeff’s tips for catching bass consistently from shore.

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AUTHOR
Rick Wallace is a passionate angler and fly fisher whose work has appeared in fishing publications including FlyLife. He's appeared in fishing movies, founded a successful fishing site and spends every spare moment on the water. He's into kayak fishing, ultralight lure fishing and pretty much any other kind of fishing out there.