Bass fishing is known globally as one of the most sought-after sports in freshwater fishing, and for a good reason. From fly fishing the Redeye Bass in Georgia to landing a lunker of largemouth in southern Florida, you can always find somewhere to go to hook yourself to one of the nine Black Bass species we will discuss below.
The Black Bass species are broken down into nine different subspecies, all of which with their territories, diets, habits, color, and size modifications. These beautiful and diverse fish combined will eat almost anything under the sun, such as larvae, insects, frogs, fish, and what seems to be the most popular among the bass species, the crayfish.
The most well-known species are the largemouth and the smallmouth, as their territories are the largest and will provide the most challenging fights for anglers among the bass species. While some of the smallest basses, like the Suwannee Bass, won’t fight and jump out of the water like some of their larger cousins, they are still eagerly fished and pursue their unique locations and fantastic turquoise color.
Let's Get Into the Bass Species
▫ Largemouth Bass ▫
This species is king for one main reason. It’s a larger size. They are the most voracious eaters and will be in various locations globally. They will chase almost any lure thrown at them and are among the very top freshwater fish to be placed in fishing tournaments. The Large Mouth grows the biggest in southern waters such as Florida, where the water is warmer for more extended periods of the year, and their prey is plentiful. Read More on the Largemouth Bass.
Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass The second-place tournament fish are also a favorite among sports fishermen. They will stay in the moving waters near dams and rivers where the bottoms are much rockier and sandier. They prefer a slightly different variety of food than the largemouth but not by much. They are great for eating and pound for pound; they are the most formidable fighters. Read More on the Smallmouth Bass.
Alabama Bass
Some people will consider this species a subspecies of the spotted bass as no one knew there was a difference for some time. However, after genetic research, science was able to determine its species. Native to Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. The Alabama bass has distinctive teeth on its tongue and will often breed with spotted bass, hybridizing them. Read More on the Alabama Bass.
Florida Bass
This monster is the biggest of them all. The Florida bass lives in a nutrient-rich environment and warm waters that allow them to grow exponentially. This truly is the largemouth bass in a perfect climate. Known to central and southern Florida, people come from far to fish for these mega basses. Read More on the Florida Bass.
Red Eye Bass
This smaller version of the Black Bass is most well-known for inhabiting the Coosa River system. These fish love the quick-moving water of streams and rivers in Georgia, Mississippi, and even the Carolinas and Tennessee. Read More on the Red Eye Bass.
Shoal Bass
Native to Georgia and Florida, this beautiful medium-sized bass is sought after by many anglers. Known initially as a redeye bass, they were given their name as sciences studies, further proving in 1999 that they were different and worthy of their name and place on the family tree. Shoal bass feed on the typical bass diet and can weigh in at up to eight pounds. Read More on the Shoal Bass.
Guadalupe Bass
As the Texas state fish, the Guadalupe bass loves its region in the northwest highlands of the Texas river systems but can also be found in some lakes. Their region, although small, still isn’t on the endangered species list. Yet most anglers, including fly fishermen, practice a lot of catch and release to increase the fish population. Only weighing in at about three pounds, these fish have few known predators but must always be worried about hybridizing with the invasive smallmouth bass. Read More on the Guadalupe Bass.
Spotted Bass
The Spotty, officially known as the Spotted Bass, is well known in the Mississippi and other Gulf states. Often confused for Largemouth Bass, it can weight up to eleven pounds and live up to seven years; you can plan on catching quite a few of these if you put yourself in the right place. Read More on the Spotted Bass.
Suwannee Bass
This river dweller can be found in Florida and Georgia in just two different river systems. This smaller species of the Black Bass family can weigh about four pounds and has a maximum length of sixteen inches. The swimmers prefer the shallows of quickly moving rivers like the St. Marks River and the Wacissa River in Florida. Read More on the Suwannee Bass.
The Best Bass Fishing Gear
If you plan on angling for any of these species, here is a standard and compelling list of lures, rods, reels, and other gear you will want.
Some of the best bass lures lie in a few categories like crankbait. You’ll find Norman Lures DD22 Deep-Diving Crankbait, the Z-MAN Project Z Chatter bait, and the BOOYAH Buzz bait on top of the list.
Moving into our morning topwater lures, the Booyah Pad Crasher Frog is where it is at. For swimbait, you can’t go wrong with the Storm Arashi Swimbait.
If you hit the lakes and are most likely looking for the largemouth, you can’t go wrong with the Culprit Original Soft Plastic Worm or the Strike King KVD Dream Shot Finesse worm.
No matter the lure you choose, either from the crankbait or swimbait family, these lures should be in your tackle box.
While selecting lures may seem like the overwhelming part it’s the type of rod that will get the job done. There are many high-end fishing poles by brands such as Abu Garcia, Berkley, ALX Rods, and many more.
Remember, we are after bass, so you need a medium rod to add some strength; however, we need the tip to be at least a medium action to fast action to help us feel for the fish.
I recommend getting the all-around best, an Ugly Stick Spinning Series Rod. You can’t beat this rod with an option to choose your length and power. It’s known for its rugged durability, reliability, and cost point. The Pflueger President Spinning Reel is the best bang for your buck when selecting a reel option.
Now that you have your bait, rod, and reel selected, you may be asking yourself, what other gear do I need to keep up with the other more experienced anglers?
You need to find yourself a nice pair of sunglasses and an angler-approved cooler for fish and or drinks while on the water all day. You can spend upwards of three hundred dollars on sunglasses, but a simple pair of polarized shades will do the same.
Try a Pair of HUK’s polarized sports and outdoor sunglasses. These shades will look stylish and help you see well on the reflective water for only fifty to sixty dollars.
Finally, let’s talk coolers. The best cooler out there is undoubtedly the YETI Cooler. There are other brands with the same quality, but at a cost point of two hundred and seventy-five dollars, this tried and genuine brand will keep fish, bait, drink, and food cool all day long.