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Eating Fishy in Zimbabwe

A popular sporting fish, originally imported from North America, it thrives in warm, clear water in lakes and dams. Largemouths are commonly associated with weedy backwaters and ponds.

The current Zimbabwe record is around 7.5kg. Where northern largemouths and Floridas occur together, the growth potential is reduced through hybridisation (interbreeding). Largemouths occur throughout Southern Africa. Largemouth Bass spawn in the early summer, on cleaned gravel beds or similar firm surfaces in shallow water. Once the eggs hatch the male guards them for a while. However, these fish are extremely predatory, and will not hesitate to eat their young. Females mature after their second year, after which she can produce about 5000 eggs during spawning. Except for colour, the largemouth differs from the smallmouth in the long upper jaw, of which the hindmost part projects past the rear edge of the eye. The dorsal fin is also more deeply notched in the largemouth. The Largemouth Bass is a very territorial fish, and likes cover such as submerged trees, bridges, weed beds and rocky structures in the lake or dam.

When fishing for bass on fly, many trout fisherman have been making the same mistake. They want to catch the incredibly greedy bass with its cavernous mouth on regular sized trout patterns. Therefore they have only been catching small bass. The trick is to use large flies (sometimes ridiculously big) with a lot of movement and vibration. This necessitates the use of a bigger rod, perhaps a 7# or 8#. The reel is if lesser importance when fishing for bass as they do not make long powerful runs, but rather dart for the nearest cover. For this reason it is also important to have a sturdy rod so you have the lifting power to prevent that Bass going for cover. Once he's in, be sure you're not going to get him out. A floating line will do the job just fine, as most of your fishing will be done water of 9 foot or less. Your leader will have to be fairly strong, in the 8 to 10 pound region.

The first largemouth bass was introduced to the Jonkershoek hatchery in 1928, from where it spread to Paardevlei (Somerset west), Groenvlei (Knysna) and further into the Kromme, van Stadens, Elands, Swartkops, Wit and Buffalo rivers. Because of its hardy nature, it has distributed to many waters all over South Africa. Largemouth Bass - Micropterus salmoides

Bass are extremely predacious. They will eat anything from small snakes to fair sized frogs, small fish, mice, ducklings (really) and dragonfly nymphs. Smaller fish begin feeding on aquatic insects but soon graduate to larger nymphs and fish. Like smallmouths, largemouths will be found in the thickest cover possible, preferably around logs or weed beds. In the absence of cover they will seek out dropoffs or depressions on the bottom of the dam. Anything that looks different from the surroundings should be prospected, even a single stick. Big bass are territorial and will return to the same structure once released. Smaller fish form schools that will often suspend over cover in deeper water. Generally when fishing for bass on sinking flies, fish very slowly and in the thickest structure you dare. Flies Very big Wooly Buggers Mrs. Simpson Long (4-6 inches) black Zonker strip leaches Clouser minnows Zonker minnows and Mudler minnows Dahlberg divers Various poppers Dragonfly nymphs Various streamer patters.