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Definition of Bass,
Bass, pronounced bas, is a type of game fish known
for its fighting ability when hooked. It is also a popular food fish. Many
scientists recognize two chief groups of bass: (1) black bass and (2) true bass. Black
bass are members of the sunfish family. They live in lakes, rivers, and other
bodies of fresh water. They are prized as food and sport fish and are protected
from commercial use.
There are six species of black bass: (1) largemouth, (2) smallmouth, (3) spotted, (4) redeye, (5) Guadalupe, and (6)
Suwannee.
All six species have a long, yellowish or greenish body with two connected fins
on the top of the back. All except the smallmouth have a dark band along the
side of the body. Largemouth bass are found in lakes, ponds, and rivers
throughout the United States and in Canada and Mexico. The tremendous strength
of these fish makes them a favorite among fishing enthusiasts. Most adult
largemouth weigh from 1 to 4 pounds (0.5 to 1.8 kilograms). Some grow to more
than 20 pounds (9 kilograms). The longest largemouth measure more than 2 feet
(0.6 meter).
Smallmouth bass are especially strong fighters for
their size. Most adult smallmouth bass weigh from 1/2 to 4 pounds (0.2 to 1.8
kilograms). Smallmouth live in streams and large lakes throughout most of the
United States and in parts of Canada, Europe, and South America.
Spotted bass, also known as Kentucky bass, live
chiefly in southern regions of the United States. These fish are usually found
in deep, clear reservoirs. They are generally smaller than smallmouth bass. The
other three species of black bass are found in parts of the southern United
States.
Redeye bass live in streams in the Southeast. Guadalupe
bass inhabit streams in south-central Texas.
Suwannee bass are found in rivers of northern
Florida.
True bass can be divided into two categories: (1) temperate
bass and (2) sea bass. Most species of true bass live in the ocean. Temperate
bass are silvery fish with two fins on the top of the back that are separated
or only slightly connected. Most temperate bass have six or seven bold stripes
along the side of the body. There are seven species of temperate bass in North
America. Four species--the white bass, yellow bass, striped bass, and white
perch--can be found in bodies of fresh water. White bass and yellow bass are
strictly freshwater fish. They live in rivers and lakes from the Gulf of Mexico
to the Great Lakes. Striped bass and white perch are native to the Atlantic
Ocean. However, some striped bass and white perch now live only in freshwater
areas because of the damming of inland waters in which they breed. Striped bass
are common in Atlantic coastal regions and in the South. They are caught both
commercially and for sport. Most adult striped bass weigh from 2 to 20 pounds
(0.9 to 9 kilograms).
Sunfish is a name for several kinds of fishes.
The two chief kinds of sunfish are (1) true sunfishes, also
called panfishes, and (2) pygmy
sunfishes. These fishes belong to the sunfish family, which also includes
crappies and black bass. Panfish are common, brightly colored game fish that
rarely measure more than 10 inches (25 centimeters) in length. They are found
in bodies of water of all types and are native to all regions of North America
east of the Rocky Mountains. The males become brightly colored in the breeding
seasons. They clear out a nest on the bottom of a lake or stream and guard the
eggs against intruders. The most widely favored game fish among the panfishes
is the bluegill. The pumpkinseed,
another kind of true sunfish, is found abundantly in brooks and ponds from
Maine to Florida, and in the northern part of the Mississippi Valley. It has a
roundish body and considerable orange in its color. There is a bright red spot
on the ear flap. This fish grows up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) long and
weighs as much as 8 ounces (230 grams). People enjoy fishing for it because it
bites with so much vigor. Panfish are popular with many fishing enthusiasts
because the fish are widespread and easily caught with worms as a bait. Other
species also are common. Some smaller, more brilliant sunfish are kept in home
aquariums. Pygmy sunfish are small, less common sunfish found in marshy areas
in the Southeastern United States. They grow up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) in
length. The name sunfish also refers to a group of grotesque-appearing ocean
fish. Their bodies are scaleless, silvery, and clumsy, and seem to consist of
one great head with small fins. They often rest on the surface in sunny
weather, with one fin above the water. They may weigh 1,000 pounds (450
kilograms). They are never eaten. They are not closely related to freshwater
sunfish. Scientific Classification. Freshwater sunfish belong to the family
Centrarchidae. The scientific name for the bluegill is Lepomis macrochirus. The
pumpkinseed is L. gibbosus. Ocean sunfish belong to the mola family, Molidae.
The most common kind is Mola mola.