Smallmouth bass may require more effort to catch than other sunfish, but it is worth it. When hooking a smallmouth, anglers are often rewarded with a series of leaps and runs that add to the excitement of the catch. Two effective methods for catching smallmouths are still fishing with crayfish, minnows or frogs, and casting live bait, spinners and plugs. Largemouth Bass Largemouth bass are another major sportfish in New York State. While they are not the spectacular fighters their cousins the smallmouth are, largemouths can be just as challenging and exciting to land because of the habitat they prefer.
Largemouths thrive best in warm, shallow, well-vegetated areas of ponds and sluggish streams.
They are rather solitary fish, preferring to stay among dense aquatic vegetation or close to submerged cover, such as stumps, logs, or dock pilings. The largemouth bass is the largest member of the sunfish family and has been known to reach weights in excess of ten pounds. It closely resembles the smallmouth, but differs by its long upper jaw which extends well beyond the eye, and its pronounced wide, solid black lateral band. In addition, the largemouth is more of a dark green color than the smallmouth. Largemouth bass are primarily fish-eating predators.