Guadalupe Bass

Guadalupe Bass (Micropterus Treculii)

Guadalupe Bass Description And Size

Guadalupe Bass is not actually a bass; instead, it belongs to the sunfish family. They have a black lateral line that as they mature fades to olive. They also have a scattering of diamond markings on their back. Its physical traits are very similar to the spotted bass (i.e., smallmouth that doesn't extend past the eye, and its compressed and elongated body) with one exception: the green coloring extends lower on the body than their cousins. They are a small fish with small fins. Guadalupe bass cannot open its jaw beyond the eyes.
An adult is about 12 inches long and weighs up to 1 pound. They live up to 7 years

Guadalupe Bass Spawning

Based on her size, the female Guadalupe can lay between 400 and 10,000 eggs. The male Guadalupe bass builds the gravel nests where the spawning takes place. After spawning, the male Guadalupe takes care of the eggs and protects the territory during the whole incubation time. Spawning starts in March and continues till June. They can also show secondary spawning in fall or late summers, unlike other related fish species.

Guadalupe Bass Fun Facts

The male Guadalupe bass chases the female away from the incubating eggs and guards them on his own. It is the official state fish of Texas.

Because this is a threatened game fish , an angler is only allowed to catch and release to protect. The Texas Guadalupe Bass Restoration Initiative is dedicated to protecting the Guadalupe bass population and its habitat.

Guadalupe Bass Baits and Technique

The diet for this fish consists of worms, crayfish, fatheads, golden shiners, gizzard shad, and insect larvae. A lot of types of artificial baits can catch this fish, including underwater spinners, spoons and topwater lures. Some best lures to use are plastic grubs, streamers, and small crankbaits.

An angler will find the best time to find the Guadalupe Bass is when they are actively feeding in swift water currents. They respond well to bait that is moving quickly through the water. (In slow-moving water, they are reluctant to bite.) Best methods to catch are baitcasting, still fishing, pole fishing, and spin casting while using an ultra-light spinning rod. For the fly fisherman, the use of light fly fishing rods works well. Flies that used for other bass such as the smallmouth bass and smaller versions of largemouth patterns. Topwater fishing is a good choice, and anglers should carry a selection of small deer-hair bugs and poppers; sliders, and terrestrials. Guadalupe Bass Habitat They can be found in the flowing water of rivers and small streams, especially covered areas, places with big heavy rocks, bald cypress, wooded areas and stumps.

Guadalupe Bass Distribution

Guadalupe Bass is a native fish to Texas. They are native to the rivers east and north of Edwards Plateau. This includes portions of the Guadalupe River, the San Antonio River, Nueces River, the lower Colorado River (north of Austin), and the Brazos River.