Largemouth Bass(Micropterus salmoides)

Quick Facts

  • Other Names: Bass
  • Size Range: The largemouth can grow to a length of 24 inches, but the most common is around 18 inches. The world record bass was just over 22 pounds.
  • Native Species?: Yes
  • Food Value: The largemouth has a firm, white flesh and often, smaller sizes are preferred for eating. It's actually healthy for the stocks for anglers to eat their allowed take of bass as it has been factored into management of the species.

State Record

  • Louisiana State Record: 15.97lbs
  • State Record Date: 2/1/1994
  • State Record Holder Greg Wiggins

The largemouth bass and many of its close relatives are some of the most sought after fish in the world. They live in many types of freshwater lakes, ponds, marshes and swamps. They are even found in brackish areas where the rivers meet the sea.

They feed on a wide variety of prey including fish, crayfish, frogs, insects and more. They are opportunistic feeders and their large mouth lets them tackle larger items such as birds, mice and snakes. They are ambush predators and prefer structures where they lay and wait for prey items to pass within range.

The bass prefer warm waters and are not usually found in deep waters due to the cold temperatures there. They are found throughout North America and have been introduced in other countries to create fishing opportunities.

An extremely diverse array of tackle has been designed to catch bass. Live bait is also popular is some regions, but hard lures, soft baits and spinnerbaits are endless in their variety and methods of use. Topwater lures are hugely popular as the visual aspect of the explosive bite is thrilling. Each fisherman has his own arsenal of favorites, and that is part of the fun.

Louisiana enjoys amazing bass fishing and works hard to manage trophy populations for anglers to enjoy. Our hatcheries actively stock bass to create a healthy robust fishery in the endless amount of freshwater areas in Louisiana. Fishery managers want to emphasise that it is okay to keep and eat your limit of bass according to the size and bag limits put in place. Total catch and release is not required to be a conservation-minded angler, as some harvest of certain sizes is good for the fishery and is used as a management tool by the LDWF.

Largemouth Bass Rules and Regulations

Size Limit : No size limits (exceptions listed on regulations page)
Bag and Possession Limit : 10 daily, of any size (exceptions listed on regulations page)
Seasons : Finfish
Special Rules : Reference Freshwater Creel & Size Limits for restrictions.

Black Bass (Largemouth & Spotted) Click to Toggle

Location Size Limit Bag Limit
All state waters EXCEPT as follows: None 10 daily
Atchafalaya Basin, Lakes Verret/Palourde, Fausse Point/Dauterive Areas None 7 daily
Eagle Lake 16” minimum length limit 10 daily
Poverty Point Reservoir 15” to 19” protected slot limit3 8 daily; No more than one over 19” total length
Caney Creek Lake (Jackson Parish) 15” to 19” protected slot limit3 8 daily; No more than two over 19” total length
False River (Pointe Coupee Parish) 14” minimum length limit 5 daily
John K. Kelly-Grand Bayou Reservoir (Red River Parish) 14” to 17” protected slot limit3 8 daily; No more than four over 17” total length
Caddo Lake 14-18” protected slot limit3 for Largemouth Bass; No length restriction for spotted bass 8 daily; No more than 4 Largemouth Bass over 18” total length
Sabine River4 and Toledo Bend Reservoir 14” minimum length limit; No minimum length limit for spotted bass 8 daily
  1. NOTE: For enforcement purposes, a spotted bass is defined as a black bass with a tooth patch on the tongue.
  2. Fish falling within a protected slot limit must be immediately released.
  3. River proper from the Toledo Bend Dam to the I-10 bridge. River proper upstream from Toledo Bend Reservoir to the point at which the entire river enters TX (state line is marked with a sign).
  4. Anglers may have up to three times the daily bag limit of black bass (Micropterus spp.) below U.S. Highway 90 in coastal Louisiana providing the fish are kept whole or whole gutted in separate bags for each daily take limit. The bags must be marked with the date fish were taken, the species and number of fish contained in the bag, and the name and recreational fishing license number of the person taking the fish.
General Info:
Related Habitats:
Other Bass Species: White Bass Striped Bass Hybrid Striped Bass
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Related Fishing Methods

A style of fishing that utilizes a unique type of rods and reels. Long rods and simple reels allow for the presentation of “flies”, which are lures made of feather, fur, hair and synthetics. Different from conventional fishing, the weight of the line is used to carry the "lure" out whereas conventional methods use the weight of the lure to drag the line out. Flyfishing is said to be addictive and is growing in popularity.

A versatile method of fishing for many types of fish in both freshwater and salt. A jig is a lure, normally a lead-headed lure with many various types of body/tail configurations made of rubber, hair and feather. Jigs are one of the most versatile of all lures and can be tipped with bait or not. Traditionally jigs are worked in variety of up and down motions, and can be fished throughout the entire water column, depending on the fishery. A modern form of jigs called metal jigs has taken hold and many varieties and shapes have been developed to work different ways. Made famous by the Shimano Butterfly Jig and now produced by many companies in many variations. If I could only have one lure to fish with it would be a jig.

Live bait is a term given to many different types of fish, crustaceans, insects and worms that are popular food items for fish and used by fishermen for bait. There are many benefits to live bait as well as a few cons. The pros normally out weigh the negatives, and live bait is widely used. The biggest benefit for fishermen is that they are using the real thing and often puts a fish's guard down. Small fish, crabs, shrimp, clams, crickets and the good ole earthworm are all used to entice a fish to the hook. The only negatives to live bait is just that, keeping it alive. Sometimes catching it can be a challenge, as only some species can be bought as live bait. No matter how you get it, live bait is a great way to target many types of fish.

Topwater fishing refers to the working of lures that are designed to float on the surface and twitch, splash and swim like a wounded prey. The visual aspect of the bite makes this a very popular way to fish. Most predatory fish will crash a topwater plug at one time or another. Early morning, evening times are traditionally better in freshwater and inshore saltwater fisheries. Offshore for pelagics like tuna, it is more about getting in range of feeding fish and working the lure in the zone. Hang on!

Related Fishing Gear

An artificial lure that floats and has erratic action and splash when worked across the surface of the water. They often have a concave face which causes great commotion when “chugged” across the top. They simulate a bait struggling and the visual aspect of the bite is the best.