Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides are the most widely distributed black bass species within North Carolina. Largemouth Bass can be caught from mountain rivers to coastal bays. North Carolina anglers can usually find waters that contain Largemouth Bass within a short distance from their homes; they can catch bass that could potentially reach trophy sizes of 7 to 12 lbs.

Largemouth Bass are native throughout North Carolina and are the only native black bass in the coastal plain of North Carolina. Originally found from southeastern Canada through the Great Lakes; south down the Mississippi Valley to Mexico and Florida; and up the Atlantic coast as far north as southern Maryland. Introductions in other areas have occurred and today, Largemouth Bass are found throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, and southeastern Canadian lakes.

Largemouth Bass in North Carolina have genetic lineage to two subspecies, Northern Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides salmoides and Florida Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides floridanus. The NCWRC has been working to inventory the genetic makeup of bass within the state. More info on North Carolina’s black bass genetics efforts can be found below.

Largemouth Bass are at particularly low risk of extirpation due to their widespread occurrence in North Carolina. The invasive Alabama Bass poses a substantial threat to North Carolina’s Largemouth Bass fisheries. Alabama Bass cause needless competition and exclude Largemouth Bass from most of the habitat in a lake.

Conservation Status

Statewide Largemouth Bass Genetic Inventory

In collaboration with Yale University, coastal fisheries staff collected Largemouth Bass samples in 2021 as a part of a regional study to assess the phenotype and genotypes of Largemouth Bass in systems below the fall line in coastal systems of the southeastern U.S. Staff submitted genetic samples from the Tar, Neuse, New, and Chowan rivers as well as Phelps, Mattamuskeet, and Singletary lakes. This study will provide phylogenetic insights to the distribution of Florida Largemouth Bass, generally considered to only be in Florida. Recent genetic research suggests that Florida Largemouth Bass alleles are dominant in Largemouth Bass in the coastal region and this study is anticipated to provide a better understanding of why these Florida Largemouth Bass alleles are in higher proportion in these systems compared to research conducted in the 1940s.

In collaboration with Auburn University, NCWRC Inland Fisheries staff have collected Largemouth Bass from a wide range of waterbodies across the entire state of North Carolina, from Murphy to Manteo. This study will provide new insights into the genetic makeup of Largemouth Bass including the percentage of northern Largemouth Bass and Florida Largemouth Bass DNA within each population sampled. Recent results from this on-going research effort indicate that both northern Largemouth Bass and Florida largemouth Bass genes are present in every population sampled to date. Interestingly, Florida Largemouth Bass genes are more prevalent in costal populations, whereas, northern Largemouth Bass genes appear more often discovered in populations in the western mountains. The Piedmont or central portion of the NC, known for its prominent Largemouth bass fisheries, has generally revealed an even mix of both northern Largemouth Bass and Florida Largemouth genetics. L earn more about NC Bass population genetics information such as hybridization rates and uniqueness in North Carolina.

Black Bass Identification

Below is a comparison of the Alabama Bass, Bartram's Bass, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and Spotted Bass. Images courtesy of Black Bass iNaturalist.

Download a PDF.