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; belly white to gray; 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; common throughout New York Food: small fish, frogs, crayfish, insects Reproduction: spawns when water temperatures reach 60 degrees F; male builds nest in small clearings in weedbeds 2 to 8 feet deep, then guards nest and fry until the "brood swarm" disperses Average Size: 12 to 20 inches, 1 to 5 pounds Records: State--11 pounds, 4 ounces, Buckhorn Lake, Otsego County, 1987; North American--22 pounds, 4 ounces, Montgomery Lake, Georgia, 1932 Notes: Largemouth Bass are the most sought after game fish in North America. This denizen of the weeds is a voracious carnivore, eating anything that is alive and will fit into its mouth. Largemouths are common in New York lakes and large streams that have weedbeds in less than 20 feet of water. Largemouth Bass often run 1 to 2 pounds with 5 pounders not uncommon in New York. They are good to eat when small and from clean water, but tend to be sightly muddy flavored when taken from silty water. Similar Species: Smallmouth Bass (pg. 152) Largemouth Bass: mouth extends well beyond non-red eye Smallmouth Bass: mouth does not extend beyond red eye.