The Florida State Freshwater Fish Largemouth Bass

One of America's prized gamefish, the largemouth bass seems to grow to unusually large size in Florida waters. This black bass is an elongated sunfish, whose distinguishing feature, aside from the exceptionally large mouth, is a deep notch in the dorsal fin. In most northern states, the species seems to reach a maximum of ten pounds; in Florida 20-pound catches are not uncommon. The habitat is a quiet water containing bountiful vegetation.

Each spring, males dig nests by brushing clear a circular area over a gravel bottom. Then females lay up to 25,000 eggs! The eggs become fingerlings in three to six days, and remain in schools as they grow. Once mature, however, the largemouth bass tends to be a loner.

The 1975 Florida legislature adopted a bill that became Chapter 15.036 of the Florida Statutes, designating the Florida bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) as the official State Freshwater Fish.