10 Largemouth Bass Population Facts You Should Know

The largemouth bass is a favorite target species of the freshwater fishing crowd, so you can probably understand why a largemouth bass population may be closely monitored. Fish population dynamics, or the ways in which a given fish population grows and shrinks over time, is often affected by a number of factors. Check out these ten bass population facts that you might not know about.

1. Largemouth bass are the most widely distributed and most sought-after freshwater gamefish in North America.
2. According to the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, the condition of the largemouth bass population in a waterway usually affects the overall quality of fishing more than any other factor.
3. Both the number and size of largemouth bass are important factors that most anglers consider when fishing in any given waterway, so fisheries management programs generally strive to find a balance between these factors.
4. Since fish growth rates, reproduction, natural mortality, forage habits, and fishing pressure often differ from one habitat to the next; bass population management strategies cannot simply be duplicated from one waterway to the next. Each individual factor has to be considered for each waterway.
5. Creel limits (the number of fish you may keep in one day's fishing) are often put into place to prevent overfished fish populations. If you are new to fishing, you should know that creel limits and regulations are a very important part of state fish conservation efforts.
6. Slot length limits (range of size in terms of length) are usually outlined by state agencies in order to protect a particular segment of largemouth bass life history that may influence fishing success.
7. If you practice proper catch and release fishing techniques, particularly when fishing pressured waterways, you can help preserve largemouth bass populations for generations to come.
8. There are two subspecies of largemouth bass found in the U.S. -- the Northern largemouth (Micropterus salmoides) and the Florida largemouth (Micropterus salmoides floridanus).
9. While the lifespan of a largemouth bass rarely exceeds ten years, they have been known to live as long as sixteen years in the northern portion of their range.
10. The Florida-strain largemouth bass generally grows considerably faster than the Northern subspecies; however, the Northern subspecies usually lives longer.

Do you want to find out how you can do your part to maintain healthy fish populations? Learn more about aquatic resources conservation and the action steps you can take the next time you head out on the water.