Bass fishing in B.C.

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BASS

The very controversial Bass, here at AnglingBC there has been numerous discussions over the years concerning them and why or how they are in B.C.. It ends up with the ardent bass haters and just as ardent bass lovers having a go about the stocking of lakes and streams with Bass. Although both sides agree they should not be introduced into the lakes, streams and rivers the fact is they are there now. Unfortunately they will feed on trout and other indigenous fish so I guess catching them is even more important then ever!

We will have information on the species and articles here for now, if you have a bass you would like put into a Bass gallery please send it on to me at Admin AnglingBC we have started a Bass gallery. We are also accepting articles concerning fishing for bass. Come on all you bass lovers this is your chance!

Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieui)

Young smallmouth bass feed upon aquatic insect larvae such as mayflies and dragonflies. As bass grow larger they begin to feed increasingly upon other fishes and crayfish. Smallmouth bass are uniquely suited for feeding upon crayfish, which provide an energy source not generally available to other fish predators. Smallmouth bass are usually found along lake shorelines, even during summer when they can tolerate warm nearshore water temperatures that cause trout predators to seek deepwater refuges. Larger smallmouth bass are generally found in association with underwater "structure", which is a general term describing large boulders, submerged trees or underwater vegetation. These habitats provide smallmouth bass with a place from which they can ambush prey, as well as a place to hide from avian (e.g. kingfishers, loons) or terrestrial predators (e.g. mink) looking for large fish to eat. In river and stream systems, smallmouth bass are usually found in warmer and wider reaches downstream from coldwater stretches more favorable for trout.

Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Bass are a schooling fish that hang out near the bottom, or what they perceive the bottom to be of a lake or stream. They like to wait until an unsuspecting victim comes by to attack. Bass use various types of cover and depth to hide from predators. Smallmouth Bass prefer deeper water than largemouth Bass. Through much of the year, particularly from late winter through spring, bass usually can be found in or near spawning areas, namely fairly shallow, flat areas with some cover and with quick access to deeper water. Happy hunting.

A quote from a Bass Angler:
"The number one problem with bass, in my opinion, is that they're ... well ... I don't know how to put this politely ... they're ugly. I know it's not their fault, and I shouldn't be so shallow, but your average smallie has a face that only a mother bass could love. "

The History of Bass in North America:

From Mike Miller:

They have been thriving and expanding their territory there much longer than most of the anglers who complain about them have been alive.

It’s a shame what is happening out there.

Micropterus dolomieui (Lacépède)

Smallmouth Bass

Micropterus=small or short fin; the dorsal fin of the type specimen was damaged, which led Lacépède to mistake it for a second small fin.

dolomieui=after M. Dolomieu (after whom dolomite was named); a French mineralogist and friend of Lacépède

The native distribution of Smallmouth Bass was restricted to eastern-central North America. Smallmouth Bass is a popular recreational species, and the species has been widely introduced across Africa, Canada, Europe, Russia and the United States of America. In British Columbia, Smallmouth Bass fry were first introduced in the fall of 1901 to the Kettle River system at Christina Lake to provide angling opportunities in waters deemed too warm for native trout species (RBCM collection records). Smallmouth Bass are currently established in the upper and lower Columbia River, Kettle River below Cascade Falls, and throughout the Okanagan system.

Smallmouth Bass can be identified by: an upper jaw that does not extend past the posterior margin of the eye, a banding pattern across the operculum, short spines on the leading edge of the anal fin, and the presence of a notch separating the spined and soft rayed portion of the dorsal fin.

Micropterus salmoides (Lacépède)

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus=small or short fin; the dorsal fin of the type specimen was damaged, which led Lacépède to mistake it for a second small fin.
salmoides=troutlike

The native distribution of the Largemouth Bass is similar to that of the Smallmouth Bass, and it too has been widely introduced throughout North America and globally. It has been suggested that populations of Largemouth Bass in British Columbia stem from fish that escaped from a private pond near the Kootenai River, Idaho in 1916 (Carl et al. 1967). Populations of Largemouth Bass are established in the upper and lower Kootenay, the lower Columbia and the Kettle rivers, and the waters of the Okanagan system.

Largemouth Bass can be identified by: an upper jaw extending past the posterior margin of the eye, a banding pattern across the operculum, short spines on the leading edge of the anal fin, and the presence of a notch separating the spinus and soft-rayed portion of the dorsal fin.

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Apr 2007

Where to Fish for smallies

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Mar 2007

Big Bass Talk