The female bass stays near the nest or may swim a short distance and remain listless for up to a day. After hatching, the fry swim in tight schools, disbanding when the small fish reach a length of about one inch. Fingerling bass feed on insects, crayfish, and small fishes. Adult bass will eat whatever is available, including fish, crayfish, crabs, frogs, salamanders, snakes, mice, turtles and even birds. Age and Growth - Growth rates are highly variable with differences attributed mainly to their food supply and length of growing season.
Female bass live longer than males and are much more likely to reach trophy size.
By age two or three, females grow much faster than male bass. Males seldom exceed 16 inches, while females frequently surpass 22 inches. At five years of age females may be twice the weight of males. The oldest bass from Florida whose age has been determined by fisheries biologists was 16 year of age. Sporting Qualities - The largemouth bass is Florida's most popular freshwater game fish.