Text Only

Alewife

Atlantic Salmon

Bloater

Brook Trout

Brown Trout

Burbot

Carp

Chinook Salmon

Coho Salmon

Freshwater Drum

Lake Herring

Lake Sturgeon

Lake Trout

Lake Whitefish

Longnose Sucker

Muskellunge

Northern Pike

Pink Salmon

Rainbow Smelt

Rainbow Trout

Round Goby

Round Whitefish

Ruffe

Sea Lamprey

Smallmouth Bass

Walleye

White Perch

White Sucker

Yellow Perch

Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieui

• Length: 15 to 20 inches
• Weight: 1.5 to 5 pounds
• Coloring: brown, golden-brown through olive to green on back; sides lighter; cream to milk-white underside
• Common Names: northern smallmouth bass, black bass, brown bass, white or mountain trout
• Found in Lakes: Michigan, Huron, Ontario, Erie and Superior

"Inch for inch and pound for pound the gamest fish that swims." Enthusiastic comments like this entered in the journals of the 19th and early 20th century paid tribute to this scrappy, well-proportioned fish. Because of these qualities and their relatively small numbers, Lake Michigan smallmouth bass are reserved exclusively for sport fishing.

During spring and summer, they concentrate in shallow bays and on reefs in upper Green Bay and off the Door County peninsula. Essentially a nonmigrating fish, they retreat to pools, undercut banks or fairly deep water to avoid bright daylight. They are most active in early morning and evening. During winter, they gather near the bottom and feed little until spring and water temperatures rise to about 47 degrees F.

Many consider the flavor and texture of smallmouth bass superior to all Great Lakes fish except the whitefish. The low fat content of its flesh makes it easy to freeze for later consumption. If the lake's waters remain clean, these plucky game fish will undoubtedly continue to be a favorite attraction in some areas of the upper Great Lakes.

Comments |  Credits |  About Us

What's New | Research News | Fish IDs | Special Features | Kids' Page | Site Map

copyright  University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute
Brook Trout illustration copyright 1998 Gina Mikel
Smallmouth bass photographs (c) Shedd Aquarium (e-mail)
Drawing from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Last updated 11 February 2002 by Seaman