Bass (fish)

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Image:Largemouth bass.jpg bass (IPA /bæs/) is a name shared by many different species of popular game fish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species, many of which are native to North America and surrounding waters. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."<ref>Bass¹. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition.</ref>Bass can measure up to 80 cm (although expetional 100 cm long bass have been recorded)

These are some of the most well-known species of bass:

The temperate basses, such as the striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and white bass (M. chrysops), belonging to the family Moronidae.
The warm water basses, such as the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu), spotted bass (M. punctulatus), Guadalupe bass (M. treculii) and rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris), belonging to the sunfish family, Centrarchidae. These basses are also referred to as black basses. .

Large mouth bass can usually be found around structures, such as submerged logs or rocks. The largemouth is known to be one of the best "fighters" and a ferocious predator attacking just about anything that moves. Largemouth have even been know to eat ducklings and baby alligators. The world record largemouth bass was caught near Jacksonville, Georgia on June 2, 1932 by George Perry. It weighed 22 pounds 4 ounces and was caught from an oxbow lake off the Ocmulgee River called Montgomery Lake. This is one of the most sought-after records in the fishing world.

Many other species are also known as basses,<ref>List of Common Names with bass. FishBase. Retrieved on 6 June, 2006.</ref> including:

The Australian bass, Macquaria novemaculeata, a member of the perch family, Percichthyidae.
The black sea bass, Centropristis striata, a member of the family Serranidae.
The giant sea bass Stereolepis gigas, also known as the black sea bass, a member of the family Polyprionidae.
The Chilean sea bass, Dissostichus eleginoides, more commonly known as the Patagonian toothfish.
The European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax.