Bit off a little more than they could chew… and swallow.
Largemouth bass are found in nearly every state across the U.S., and when it comes to professional angling these green giants are the ultimate symbol of American sportfishing. They’re aggressive, adaptable, and known for their explosive strikes. Actually a member of the sunfish family (bluegills, crappie, pumpkinseeds and other panfish), largemouth bass can be found in lakes, rivers, ponds, and even swampy backwaters across North America.
Adult bass can grow to impressive sizes — with the average clocking in between 1 and 5 pounds, but depending on where you’re fishing, trophy-sized bass can exceed 10 pounds, with some record-breakers tipping the scales at over 20 pounds. Places like Texas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and California regularly produce monsters in the 10-15 pound range, whereas, here in Wisconsin where I live, a 5-pound bass is a pretty damn good fish.
How Bass Eat
They’re ambush predators through and through, built with a wide jaw and lightning-fast reflexes. That gaping mouth (which gives them their name) allows them to inhale prey in a single burst of suction power — from frogs and crawfish to shad, bluegill, and even snakes.
Bass are opportunistic feeders, which means they’ll eat just about anything that fits in their mouth. Their diet shifts throughout their life with young bass (known as fry) feeding on plankton, insect larvae, and tiny crustaceans. Juveniles move up to minnows and small baitfish whereas adults will target larger prey — bluegill, shiners, frogs, lizards, and even small waterfowl if they can catch them. And yes… largemouth bass are cannibals.
It’s more common than most anglers realize. In fact, largemouth bass cannibalism is a natural part of their population control. Larger bass will readily eat smaller bass, especially when food is scarce or when juvenile fish are abundant after spawn. Scientists and biologists have observed that in high-density populations — like small farm ponds — adult bass may consume a significant portion of their own young, keeping numbers in check and ensuring there’s enough food for the remaining fish to grow.
And here is a prime example…
Tournament kayak angler, Casey Reed, was out fishing when he spotted something strange floating in the middle of the water. When he took his kayak over to inspect, it turned out to be two largemouth bass that had found themselves in quite a strange predicament.
Largemouth bass are aggressive and territorial fish, so whether the slightly smaller one just went to the wrong part of the lake or the slightly larger one wanted to flex his muscles, the two tangled up and the larger tried to gulp down the smaller.
But there was a problem… the size differential was not big at all. I’m talking the larger was maybe 13 inches and the smaller was maybe 12. So things went about how you would expect….
The larger one got its big old mouth around the head of the smaller but that was it, and despite the best efforts of both fish, they ended up stuck just like that, aimlessly floating around the lake until a predator or a helpful fisherman came by. Fortunately, the fisherman got there before a bird or otter did. After some effort, Casey was able to get the two unlocked, but I don’t know what the odds of survival are going to be for the attacking fish… his jaws were locked wide open.
You just never know what you’re going to see when you’re out on the water… all the more reason to get out there as much as you can. If you want to gear up, make sure to check out Tackle Warehouse for all your bass angling needs.
America’s Most Popular Sportfish
It’s no wonder the largemouth bass is the most targeted fish in the United States. Whether you’re just a weekend warrior or a professional tournament angler, there is something special about chasing big bass… it’s become a cultural phenomenon. The excitement of a topwater blowup, the patience of working a slow soft plastic, skipping a jig under docks… the thrill of landing a personal best , bass fishing is as much about the experience as it is the catch.
Don’t get me wrong, I want to catch hogs… but there’s something so cathartic about just being out there. You know what they say… a bad day of fishing beats a good day anywhere else. And it’s true.
But the truth is, largemouth bass actually play a vital role in maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems. They help keep prey populations balanced and provide opportunities for conservation-minded anglers to connect with nature. Many states promote catch and release, ensuring future generations can enjoy the same thrill. The largemouth bass is truly a symbol of the outdoors, a testament to adaptability, and a reminder of nature’s raw balance.
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