Bass are some of the most popular game fish species for anglers around the world. Their aggressive strikes and strong fights make bass fishing an exciting sport. But to consistently catch bass, you need to understand their feeding habits. So what do bass eat?
The simple answer is that bass are opportunistic feeders and will eat almost anything they can capture and swallow. However, different bass species tend to focus on different prey items based on what is naturally available in their habitats. And bass feeding patterns change based on the time of year and conditions like water temperature.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll take a close look at what the most common bass species eat and how it impacts your fishing strategy:
Largemouth Bass
The largemouth bass is likely the most popular game fish in North America. From small farm ponds to massive reservoirs, largemouth can be found eating a variety of prey. Here are their favorites:
Baitfish
Baitfish like shad, bluegill, minnows, and shiners are a staple food source for largemouth bass. These small fish provide a lot of calories and are easy for bass to capture and swallow. Lures that mimic the size, shape, and action of baitfish are very effective for catching largemouth.
Crawfish
Crawfish are a key prey, especially in the spring when they are most active. Largemouth will hunt for crawfish along weedlines, rock piles, and other shallow cover. Crankbaits and soft plastic craw imitations are great lure choices.
Frogs
Largemouth love to explode on unsuspecting frogs resting on lily pads and vegetation. When the frogs are out, topwater frog baits can trigger exciting strikes.
Insects
When insect hatches occur largemouth will gorge themselves on the abundant food source. Buzzbaits poppers, and floating flies can imitate insects well during a hatch.
Birds and Mammals
While not common, bass have been known to ambush ducklings, mice, and other small animals that get too close to the water’s edge This reinforces their opportunistic feeding strategy.
Smallmouth Bass
The smallmouth bass prefers clearer, cooler waters in lakes and fast moving streams. Here are the smallmouth’s favorite foods:
Crayfish
Without a doubt, crayfish are the #1 food source for stream smallmouth. They use rocky structure for shelter, which smallmouth love to patrol looking for an easy meal. Jigs, crankbaits, and soft plastic craws work well.
Hellgrammites
These large larval insects live on the rocky stream bottom where smallmouth feed. When hellgrammite hatches occur in summer, it’s like an all you can eat buffet for smallies. Heavy jigs and streamers make good imitations.
Baitfish
Where they coexist, smallmouth will eat smaller baitfish like minnows and shad. Crankbaits and jerkbaits that mimic injured baitfish trigger savage strikes from smallmouth.
Spotted Bass
The spotted bass is a smaller relative of the largemouth that occupies warmer, flowing waters in the southeast US. Here are their dietary preferences:
Shad
Threadfin and gizzard shad are likely the #1 food source for spotted bass. The abundance of shad allows spotted bass to grow large and maintain excellent body condition.
Sunfish
Spots will eat smaller sunfish like bluegill and redbreast that share their habitat. Small swimbaits and crankbaits can imitate juvenile sunfish well.
Crayfish
Spotted bass feed heavily on crayfish, especially in late spring and summer when crayfish are more active and vulnerable.
Shoal Bass
The shoal bass is a spotted/smallmouth hybrid thriving in the fast flowing, rocky shoal habitats of southeastern rivers. Here is what they feed on:
Crayfish
Living in close association with rocky shoals, shoal bass have endless access to plentiful crayfish. They use the rocks for ambush points to attack passing crayfish.
Baitfish
Small minnows and darters that inhabit riffle areas are easy targets for shoal bass. Small crankbaits and inline spinners work well to mimic this forage.
Insects
Terrestrial insects become part of the menu when winds deposit them onto the water’s surface. Shoal bass will slash at struggling insect prey.
Striped Bass
Striped bass prefer cooler, open waters in large lakes and reservoirs as well as nearshore ocean habitats. Here is what they prey on:
Shad
Shad represent a huge portion of the striped bass diet where they coexist. They feed on shad on the surface, mid-water, and bottom. Match their target depth with your lure choice.
Herring
Where available, stripers gorge on the abundant, oily herring. The abundant forage is key to growing trophy sized striped bass.
Mackerel
Lively mackerel become prey when striped bass are feeding offshore near bait schools. Fast moving spoons and plugs can imitate mackerel well.
Hybrid Striped Bass
Hybrid stripers are a cross between striped bass and white bass. They are stocked in many reservoirs and feed on:
Shad
The most popular prey for stocked hybrids is shad. Matching the size of the shad the hybrids are feeding on is key to catching these aggressive fish.
Perch
Yellow perch often coexist with hybrids and become easy prey, especially for larger fish. Deep diving crankbaits can imitate perch well.
Sunfish
Hybrids will capitalize on bluegills that stray too far from cover. Small profiled swimbaits work well to mimic sunfish for hybrids.
White Bass
White bass occupy large lakes and reservoirs across North America. Young gizzard shad are their primary food source. They also feed on:
Emerging Mayflies
The famous mayfly hatches on the Great Lakes draw huge feeding frenzies from white bass. Small spoons and in-line spinners can mimic emerging mayfly nymphs.
Crayfish
White bass will eat crayfish where available, especially in late spring and summer when crayfish are most active.
Wiper Bass
Wiper bass are a hybrid cross between striped bass and white bass popularly stocked in southern reservoirs. They feed on:
Shad
Threadfin and gizzard shad are the main course for wiper bass. They rely on the abundant forage to grow fast and large.
Bluegill
Wipers will terrorize bluegill populations, especially bigger fish feeding near the surface early and late in the day.
Skipjack Herring
Where available, wipers feed heavily on skipjack herring which occupy the same open water habitats.
How Bass Feeding Changes
While the specific species have their favorites, bass are opportunistic feeders. They will make the most of whatever prey is naturally available in their habitat. And their feeding patterns change significantly based on the following factors:
Time of Year
Bass feeding is driven by seasonal patterns. In colder months, their metabolism slows and they eat less. As waters warm in spring, their appetite and activity increases. Spawning influences feeding as well.
Water Temperature
As mentioned above, bass become more active and feed more aggressively as water temperatures warm from the 50s F into the 60s and 70s F range. Colder or hotter water temperatures decrease feeding activity.
Weather
Colder, wet weather and high, stable barometric pressure hurts feeding. Warm, sunny conditions and dropping barometric pressure triggers active feeding.
Prey Availability
Bass will capitalize when specific prey species are abundant or vulnerable. Examples include shad spawns, crayfish migrations, and insect hatches.
Habitat
Bass relate to specific structures and cover based on current conditions. Focus on those high percentage areas instead of fishing uniform structure.
As you can see, various bass species prey on a wide range of food items. While they are opportunistic predators, each species does focus on certain prey items inherent to their preferred habitat. Understanding what bass are feeding on at any given time is critical to catching them consistently on your favorite lake or river. Matching the hatch with your lure selection and fishing areas where bass can best ambush their prey is key to your success.
