Why Smallmouth Bass Are One of the Most Dangerous Fish in the Country

Smallies have a darkish facet. Picture: Joe Cermele

Smallmouth bass are highly regarded amongst anglers due to their willingness to take flies, their acrobatic leaps, and their preventing spirit. Though the species is native to North America, its unique vary was restricted to the Nice Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway drainages—stretching from southern Quebec and New Hampshire to North Dakota—in addition to the Mississippi River drainage as far south as Alabama. However all through the 19^th century, smallmouths have been stocked throughout the nation. Extra lately, they’ve been stocked in locations the place they positively shouldn’t exist, as Joe Cermele explains in an article in Out of doors Life:

For essentially the most half, stocking and transplanting fish are effectively calculated endeavors, however issues come up when transplants find yourself in waters they’re not alleged to be. And regardless of our basic love of the smallmouth bass, the truth is that they’re probably the most damaging and disruptive fish within the nation, inflicting extra fear in lots of areas than even dreaded invasives like snakeheads and Asian carp.

Click here to read the full story in Outdoor Life