The Bass Vs.
- Thread starter Irondale
- Start date
Smallmouth are so much more agressive than LMB that I almost freaked when I saw that the poll results. I wonder if the LMB voters have EVER really dealt with a SMB? I had 8 bass (7 LMB & 1 SMB) that I put into my farm pond close to a decade ago. They were all roughly in the 8" - 10" at the time. The one SMB was SO dominant over the seven LMB that it is disturbing to see this.
The LMB are about the LAZIEST big predator fish in N. America for pete's sake, hence the LARGE MOUTH that allows this predator to "Suck/ inhale" its prey with FAR less swim movement. The SMB needs to hunt with out of control agression, speed and fury! They prowl/ hunt constantly, where the LMB stay stationary waiting for a fish to swim close enough to it's large mouth to "gulp".
Seriously, Any owners of BOTH species (LMB & SMB) that have kept these fish together in monster aquariums or ponds, please chime in and HONESTLY answer some questions regarding the comparison between the two fish:
1. Which species was more active (swimming etc..) in tank/ pond setup?
2. Which species was the more agressive predator of live prey?
3. Which species (Assuming roughly equal size) was dominant in the setup?
4. Which monster was "meaner"?
5. Which species claimed the "larger" area as their own?
6. Which species generally won "fights"?
The LMB are about the LAZIEST big predator fish in N. America for pete's sake, hence the LARGE MOUTH that allows this predator to "Suck/ inhale" its prey with FAR less swim movement. The SMB needs to hunt with out of control agression, speed and fury! They prowl/ hunt constantly, where the LMB stay stationary waiting for a fish to swim close enough to it's large mouth to "gulp".
Seriously, Any owners of BOTH species (LMB & SMB) that have kept these fish together in monster aquariums or ponds, please chime in and HONESTLY answer some questions regarding the comparison between the two fish:
1. Which species was more active (swimming etc..) in tank/ pond setup?
2. Which species was the more agressive predator of live prey?
3. Which species (Assuming roughly equal size) was dominant in the setup?
4. Which monster was "meaner"?
5. Which species claimed the "larger" area as their own?
6. Which species generally won "fights"?
What happened to all of the largemouth bass voters. Well at least they do appear intelligent and honest by NOT honestly answering the questions above.
Simply put, this site is called "Monster Fish Keepers" and the SMB is by far the baddest "monster fish" on the poll.
Simply put, this site is called "Monster Fish Keepers" and the SMB is by far the baddest "monster fish" on the poll.
I started with a 3" largemouth and a 4.5", and although smaller, the largemouth was definately ALWAYS the dominate fish. A lot of other people I've talked to have similar experiences.
As far as feeding...both species use a "vacuum" (they open their mouths rapidly, which creates a suction, and this pulls the food item and surrounding water into the fishes mouth.) Largemouths typically go for larger prey (obviously, they have a much larger mouth compared to a similar sized smallie.) Smallmouths also prefer crayfish, and they seem more picky in general about feeding, but both will pretty much try everything lol.
Smallmouths seem to prefer more open, rocky type areas, which are better hunted by covering a lot of ground. Largemouths like to sit in heavier cover and ambush their prey...this is probably why they seem less active. I have seen them cruising more open water, just like smallies, it just depends on the forage that is available.
One thing I will give to the smallies though, is that when fishing, they fight much harder than many freshwater species of fish!
As far as feeding...both species use a "vacuum" (they open their mouths rapidly, which creates a suction, and this pulls the food item and surrounding water into the fishes mouth.) Largemouths typically go for larger prey (obviously, they have a much larger mouth compared to a similar sized smallie.) Smallmouths also prefer crayfish, and they seem more picky in general about feeding, but both will pretty much try everything lol.
Smallmouths seem to prefer more open, rocky type areas, which are better hunted by covering a lot of ground. Largemouths like to sit in heavier cover and ambush their prey...this is probably why they seem less active. I have seen them cruising more open water, just like smallies, it just depends on the forage that is available.
One thing I will give to the smallies though, is that when fishing, they fight much harder than many freshwater species of fish!
The term "bass" is applied to species crossing probably around a half dozen families and probably more than a dozen different genii (plural of genus, if that wasn't clear).
What you call "bass" are technically are in the sunfish family, but are categorically known as "black bass" of the genus Micropterus. This includes LMB, SMB, spotted bass, shoal bass, redeye bass (I DON'T mean rock bass, this is a different species), suwaneee bass, and guadalupe bass.
Rock bass aren't in the same group as "black bass". Like LMB/SMB etc, they are in the sunfish family, but belong to a genus all their own. I believe there are two species of fish in the genus Ambloplites that go by the common name of "rock bass", but A. rupestris is the common one that people think about.
As such, I believe this poll is broken
However, given a choice between all the fish that go by the name "bass" and are native to North American fresh water lakes and rivers, I have to pick SMALLMOUTH BASS! These guys are feisty and energetic, with a bit of size potential. While they will never be 20+lb toads like Florida-strain LMB, they will never be toads.. they aren't lazy fatties.
I'm not 100% sure about the etymology of the word "bass" (frankly I have a real hard time finding actual academic etymological research on fish terminology, which I'm sure is no big surprise), but I'm pretty sure that the term was applied to Dicentrarchus labrax long before it was applied to striped or white bass.
