Micropterus meaning small or short fin, and dolomieui , after M. Dolomieu, a French mineralogist and friend of Lacepede, after whom dolomite was named. Smallmouth bass, black bass, green bass, northern smallmouth bass. The smallmouth bass has a laterally compressed body, with a large head and mouth, with the lower jaw extending slightly farther out than the upper jaw. Unlike the closely related largemouth bass the maxillary does not extend beyond the center of the eye. It has two joined dorsal fins and a slightly forked caudal fin.
Color varies with habitat and geographical location.
It is normally golden to dark olive brown or black on the back and upper sides fading to a lighter more yellowish or golden coloration, with 8 or more vertical bars present. The belly is yellowish to white and the head has 3 horizontal strips. It' average length is 8-15 inches. Spawning generally takes place over a period of 6-10 days. Females can produce 2,000 to 20,000 eggs.