In all cases, they generally occur over soft substrates typically associated with structure. Largemouth bass feed from the surface, water column and bottom on a variety of food items. Young bass eat primarily aquatic insects with fish, mollusks and crayfish playing an important role in the diets of adults. A single female may produce from 2,000 to 10,000 eggs and may spawn with several males on different nests. As with other sunfish species, the male defends the nest and fans the eggs to ensure they are well oxygenated.
Eggs generally hatch within a week to ten days.
The fry remain in a brood guarded by the male for several weeks prior to dispersal. Largemouth bass are cultured at private facilities for recreational fishing on site and for stocking into private ponds. Under culture conditions, largemouth bass may be spawned and reared artificially or allowed to reproduce in culture ponds with the resultant young moved to other ponds for grow-out. Although largemouth bass may survive short exposures to pH as low as 4.0, for best growth, pH should remain between 6.5 and 8.5. As with pH, largemouth bass can survive brief exposure to low dissolved oxygen levels, optimal growth however, occurs at dissolved oxygen levels above 5.0 ppm.