SPORT FISH OF OHIO identification
SPORT FISH OF OHIO identification
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.