Largemouth Bass Eating Habits

As largemouth bass mature, they become very efficient at gobbling prey, notably shad and other species with streamlined body profiles.

Would you believe a 10.5 inch bass can eat a 3.51 inch bluegill or another bass 5.71 inches?  You’re surprised a bass eats its cousin?  The largemouth does not distinguish between species.  If a bass is hungry, it will eat anything that fits in its mouth. That includes snakes, frogs, and small birds.  We even discovered a small turtle in the stomach of a 14 incher.

How about a 16.5 inch bass eating a 5.72 inch bluegill or 9.80 inch bass?  Imagine a 22.5 inch bass eating an 8.77 inch bluegill or 13.98 inch bass. These are key facts to consider when stocking bluegill, shad, or bass fingerlings into a pond with an established mature bass population.