Greenish bass with a thick body, a very slightly open large mouth, smooth scales, and a broad tail fin.

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides
Where at Shedd?
At Home on the Great Lakes
Diet Fishes, crayfish and frogs as adults; crustaceans and insects when young
Size Length: Up to 3.2 feet (97 cm); common length 15.7 inches (40 cm)
Type Fishes
Range North America
Habitat Rivers and lakes of the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes, Hudson Bay and Mississippi River basins; widely introduced

Did you know?

  1. Perhaps the most popular of American game fishes, the largemouth bass puts up a good fight. It’s aggressive as a predator, too.
  2. Watching for prey among nearshore plants, this predator can see fairly well in dim light. Its prey may not notice the well-camouflaged bass.
  3. For anglers angling for largemouth bass, golden shiners make great bait. (You can spy them in the habitat to your right!)
  4. This popular fish is the official state fish of Georgia, the unofficial state fish of Indiana, the sport fish of Tennessee, and Alabama’s state freshwater fish.

IUCN Red List Conservation Status