| Senses. The lateral line, a series of sensitive nerve endings
on each side of the fish, can pick up underwater vibrations as subtle
as a swimming baitfish.
Bass can see in all directions, except directly below or behind. In
clear water, they can see 30 feet or more. But in most bass waters,
visibility is limited to 5 to 10 feet. Largemouths can also see
objects that are above water.
Bass can detect colors, but most experts are reluctant to say that
bass prefer a certain color of lure or bait over another. The best
colors vary depending on light conditions, water clarity and water
color. Most believe that a lure's action is more important than its
color.
Largemouths smell through nostrils, or nares, on the snout. The
nares are short passageways through which water is drawn and expelled
without entering the throat. Like most fish, bass can detect minute
amounts of scent in the water.
Bass use their sense of touch to determine whether to reject or
swallow an object. They will usually hold on to a soft bodied,
artificial worm longer than a metal lure.
Sense of taste is not as important to largemouth bass as it is to
some fish species, because bass have few taste cells in their mouths.
Temperature. Many studies of bass behavior have concluded
that largemouths prefer temperatures of 77 to 86 degrees. But
fisherman know that bass often bite better in water at low
temperatures, even when water in their preferred temperature range is
available. This is explained by the fact that bass will abandon an
area with ideal temperature to escape bright sunlight or to find food
in cover.
Oxygen. Bass require more oxygen than most other gamefish.
All lakes have sufficient oxygen in the shallows. But in fertile
lakes, those with a high level of nutrients, the depths may lack
oxygen. Fertile lakes produce large amounts of plankton. These tiny
plant and animals eventually die and sink to the bottom where they
decompose. The decomposition process consumes huge amounts of oxygen,
making the depths unsuitable for fish. Heavy algae blooms are a
symptom of high water fertility. In deep, clear waters such as
canyon reservoirs and strip pits, water fertility is usually low. The
water contains ample oxygen from top to bottom, so bass can move
wherever they want. Features. A feature is any difference in
the underwater world, including cover, structure and less obvious
differences like current or shadows. Features are most important to
bass than to most other gamefish. Largemouths require cover
from the moment they hatch. Bass fry crowd into dense weedbeds to
escape predatory fish. Later in their lives, bass use weeds, rocks,
flooded timber and brush, sunken logs and other objects for shade,
shelter and ambush points. Structure is the geologic makeup of
the bottom. It may be a reef, point or any other place where the depth
changes from one type to another. Largemouths use structure as a point
to guide their daily movements. They also locate near structure simply
because it is unique from the rest of the area. Related Articles:
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