Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides Family: Sunfish family (Centrarchidae) Other Names: black, bayou, green or slough bass, green trout Description: dark green back, greenish sides often with dark lateral band; large, forward-facing mouth; lower jaw extends to rear margin of eye Habitat: shallow, fertile, weedy lakes and river backwaters; weedy bays and extensive weedbeds of large lakes Range: southern Canada through the United States into Mexico, extensively introduced worldwide; Georgia--common throughout state Food: small fish, frogs, crayfish, insects Reproduction: spawns when water temperatures reach 60 degrees; male builds nest in small clearings in weedbeds 2 to 8 feet deep; male guards nest and fry until the "brood swarm" disperses Average Size: 12 to 20 inches, 1 to 5 pounds Records: State--22 pounds, 4 ounces, Montgomery Lake, Georgia, 1932; North American--22 pounds, 4 ounces, Montgomery Lake, Georgia, 1932 Notes: The Largemouth Bass is the most sought after game fish in North America. This denizen of the weedbeds is a voracious carnivore, eating anything that is alive and will fit into its mouth. Largemouths are common in lakes and wide streams with weedbeds less than 20 feet deep. Largemouths are often 1 to 3 pounds, but 8 and 9 pound fish are not uncommon. They are fine table fare when small and taken from clear water, but are not known for table quality when large are taken from muddy water. Similar Species: Smallmouth Bass (pg. 150), Spotted Bass (pg. 152) Largemouth Bass: mouth extends well beyond brown eye Smallmouth Bass: mouth does not extend beyond red eye Spotted Bass: mouth does not extend beyond orange eye.