The Smallmouth bass

The Smallmouth bass belongs to the Centrarchidae family. The individuals observed measure between 20 and 38 cm. They weigh from 250 g to 1 kg. They can live up to 26 years. They reproduce from May to July. The best time to catch them is in autumn.
Smallmouth bass is a fish with a strong body, compressed laterally. The head is broad and elongated. It is adorned with dark bars radiating backwards from the eyes. The back and top of the head are brown or golden brown, green or olive green. Contrary to its vernacular name, its mouth is rather large! Smallmouth bass has a long, rounded snout. The upper jaw does not extend beyond the upper edge of the eye. The anal fin has 3 strong spines. Both dorsal fins are slightly rounded and rather soft. They are linked and seem to form only one fin. The spines of the first dorsal fin are short and of almost the same length. The pelvic fins are joined by a membrane. The caudal fin is forked. The pectoral fins are transparent, all the others are opaque, dark or amber and decorated with black on the rays, spines or membranes. The back is darker and less golden than the sides. The flanks are marked with 8 to 15 thin vertical bars of dark appearance; this characteristic is more pronounced in juveniles. The belly of smallmouth bass is cream to milky in color. Body color varies according to size, but also according to its environment: in clear waters, it is dark and enhanced by pronounced contrasting marks, while in turbid waters, it is lighter and