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SPORT FISH OF OHIO identification

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o w n b a s s • b r o w n i e • s m a l l i e<br />

s m a l l m o u t h b a s s<br />

Micropterus dolomieu<br />

<br />

IDENTIFICATION: When mouth is closed, the lower<br />

part of the jaw does not extend beyond the rear of the<br />

eye. Color varies from yellow-green to olive-green with<br />

bronze iridescence. Adults have prominent dark vertical<br />

bars along their sides.<br />

<strong>FISH</strong>ING TIPS: Flyfishing, baitcasting, and spincasting<br />

with a variety of lures are all popular ways of taking<br />

smallmouth bass. Live baits such as hellgrammites, soft<br />

craws, and minnows are also popular. May and June are<br />

the most productive months for smallmouth fishing in<br />

Ohio; however, late summer can be productive for Lake<br />

Erie smallmouth.<br />

ADULT SIZE: Normally 12-15 inches and weigh 1-2<br />

pounds<br />

FOOD: Aquatic insects, crayfish, and small fish<br />

SPAWNING: Occurs in May to early June when water<br />

temperature is 55-65°F. Nests are built in gravel or hard<br />

bottom substrates in 2 to 20 feet of water. The female<br />

lays between 2,000 to 15,000 eggs. The male guards<br />

the nest and the fry for a short time. Young smallmouth<br />

feed on zooplankton and insect larvae.<br />

RANGE AND HABITAT: Thrive in streams with<br />

gravel or rock bottoms with a visible current. Abundant<br />

in the reef areas and rocky shorelines of Lake Erie. Often<br />

abundant in upground reservoirs in northwest Ohio and<br />

in quarries.

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