Smallmouth Bass: The Invasive Specie We Have Come To Love

Prepared to be triggered. Ha.

I say that because many will take exception to this post because of the fact it may force anglers to think about things in ways that many likely either have never considered or have refused to consider in large part because it does not align with the competitive angling community stated goals.

The truth of the matter is we have been inundated the last few years with narratives regarding other non native species and the negative impacts said species present but we rarely every address how we are interpreting negative impacts and to whom exactly?

The logic behind many of these narratives while not biologically flawed per say they are flawed in one major way. The prism for determining whether a specie will negatively impact a fishery never seems to be from a biological perspective anymore as much as it is the impact on the sport fishing mindset. We all love fishing but the reality is it was man who transitioned fishing for food to fishing for sport and therefore we live in a reality where much is driven from that baseline.

When smallies entered the Susquehanna River (1869) in Pennsylvania which was never part of the smallmouth native range for example, there was no sport fishing industry to push back against the specie. Think on that for a moment and than contrast that with today when you hear about Spotted Bass, Flathead Catfish, and of course Snakehead all of which like Smallmouth have been introduced by man into non native rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Initially, what happened to the Susquehanna with the introduction of the smallmouth bass in terms of native species?

A mere 25 smallies were originally stocked in the Susquehanna from a commercial fishery in Maryland.

Today, we like to argue of the meaning of words. In fact, if you are over 50 years old you are likely finding that many of the meanings of certain words are being changed by the latest generation. Smallies today in some quarters are considered “exotic” not “invasive”. This push as more to do with optics driven by money than truth. We all learned what invasive meant in school biology class but in today’s world you can’t have a 700 million a year industry in our region geared around a specie that is considered “invasive” right? I mean who would want if they even knew more state resources going towards an “invasive” specie right?

This is why the change of mindset regarding Snakehead has been painfully slow.

How is it we have such a different perspective when it comes to other invasive species like the Spotted Bass, Flathead, and Snakehead? Is it born out the the impacts of the actual ecosystem or rather born out of what those impacts may do to sport fishing industry that drives economies?

The natural range of the Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is primarily in North America, specifically in the eastern and central regions of the continent. Its native range spans from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin in the north, south to the Mississippi River basin, and east to the Appalachian Mountains and the Ohio River watershed.

We know that Smallmouth were introduced into the Potomac River and the Susquehnana River by man but they have always been native to such rivers like the New River running 360 miles north from North Carolina up into West Virginia as well as its own tributaries throughout our region.

Smallmouth Bass are typically found in clear and cool freshwater environments, such as rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs and have found an ability to survive beyond their native range in large part due to the similarity between many of the river systems in our region. Rivers like the Shenandoah, Maury River, Staunton and of course the James River all the way to Richmond, Virginia fall line. But they were never native to these river systems.

**Note a 23.25 inch Smallmouth Bass was Caught, Photo, Released this week in Virginia during the Kayak Bass Fishing Smallmouth Summer Series by angler Troy Wines of Lynchburg, Va which followed a 23 inch smallie from the New River caught by angler Joe Gill **

We know that smallies prefer rocky or gravelly substrates and are often associated with underwater structures like submerged rocks, logs, and vegetation. We find smallies to be out most popular game fish due to their strong fighting ability hence “One Which Fights” or “One That Fights” and are sought after by anglers in various fishing locations across their native and non native ranges now.

Outside of their natural range, Smallmouth Bass have been introduced to various other regions for recreational fishing purposes, but it's important to note as well that while these introductions often have ecological impacts on local ecosystems and native fish species the river themselves independent of man always seem to restore balance to their ecosystems.

Why are we to be so concerned about the Spotted Bass, Flathead or the Snakehead? Is it because they threaten the ecosystem or is it because they may threaten man’s appetite for sport fishing and tournament competition such that it has become the sole basis of consideration for matters concerning our river systems.

I know this will be controversial and trust me I get and respect others opinions on the matter but we have to stop with this notion that we need to control everything in our environment. We need to learn to live more in balance with our rivers not control them let alone control the species that flourish within them. I hear people talk about how this specie or that is not native and doesnt belong here or there and I always wonder well did we “belong” as a people in North America?

We are an invasive specie every bit as much as the Smallmouth or any other fish specie or even crayfish we see entering non native waters. In fact, often times we are hypocrites on the basis or prism we see factors in that many dont see to mind the Rusty Crayfish “invasion” of the Susquehanna River because it provides a suitable food source to Smallies there. These people ignore the fact that the Rusty are eliminating their brethern crayfish. Again the sport fishing mindset trumps the biological or ecological impact.

The Rusty Crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) have indeed become invasive in parts of the Susquehanna River and other water bodies within the region. The Rusty Crayfish is native to the Ohio River basin just like Smallmouth Bass but has been introduced to various other areas, often due to its use as bait or accidental transportation by man.

In the Susquehanna River and its tributaries, the Rusty Crayfish has been observed to outcompete native crayfish species and disrupt aquatic ecosystems. It's considered invasive because it can have negative impacts on native aquatic vegetation, disrupt food webs, and alter habitat structures. For example, the Rusty Crayfish has a broader diet than many native crayfish species and can graze heavily on aquatic plants, which can result in changes to the availability of important food sources for fish and other aquatic organisms.

I'm not aware of specific genetic differences between the Smallmouth Bass populations in the New River and Susquehanna River. However, it's important to note that genetic differences between populations of the same species can arise due to factors such as isolation, local adaptation, and historical population dynamics. We do know that Smallmouth are native to the New River which most anglers get is not geologically comparable really to the Susquehanna River and that there are seemingly visible differences to the fish themselves.

We see this quite a bit when we see tournaments on Northeast fisheries with Smallmouth where they seem to be shorter and fatter or broader than native smallmouth from the Ohio River watershed. Its this genetic strains or simply reactions to the ecological nature or balance of the fishery these smallies reside?

Genetic studies can reveal variations in the DNA of different populations, and these variations can provide insights into the relationships, origins, and adaptations of those populations. To understand the genetic differences between the New River and Susquehanna River Smallmouth Bass populations for example, researchers would need to conduct specific genetic analyses, such as DNA sequencing and population genetics studies.

Many will look to compare the two fisheries and the Smallmouth within them solely on a catch rate basis as born out by recent discussions post events. Again the mindset in place is geared toward size and number of fish caught as a reflection on the quality of the fisheries being examined but often times this measure is highly inadequate in the evaluation process.

If one of you were to ask me whether you should fish the New River or the Susquehanna River if you could only fish one I would qualify the question with whether you wanted to catch a ton of smallies or chase a PB or citation smallie? If its the later, I would fish the New River. Again many will balk at that assertion and thats fine. You have to remember that the New River is an old range for smallies whereas Susquehanna and others east of the Appalachian Mountains have broader density populations due to stocking efforts by man.

There are other factors many neglect to consider and that the influence of different style of fisheries from rivers to creeks/streams but also impoundments or reservoirs. Smallies will grow to about 14 inches in about four years in a reservoir compared to six years in a creek/stream but of course all this can be influenced by stocking and breeding programs where states selectively remove the best fish from fisheries to use for spawning and stocking programs. In essence, its throwing natural selection out the window and creating a process to manipulate the future characteristics of a fish population.

After all, the goal of the sport fishing side is to catch the largest bass possible right? Isn’t this why we have seen the introduction of largemouth strains into fisheries over the last few decades? These decisions were not made in terms of sustaining the ecosystem rather to alter said system to produce larger bass. I do not take issue with any of this of course as like everyone else I want the opportunity to catch bigger bass but my issue is we seem to have created an environment where we are not really being honest as to why we are doing what we are doing.

A lot of assumptions are being made about the impacts of other species that are non native entering many river systems today and yet we lose sight of the fact that our smallmouth were at one point these very same fish. We blame these species for declining catch rates for example but we ignore our own impacts like land use, development, translocation of tournament fish, chemical spraying and host of other man made issues that impact fish density and population growth overall.

Will the “invasiveness” of other fish specie ultimately impact Smallmouth negatively? It still remains to be seen but we do know is that our own impacts in terms of development and such are far more pervasive a threat especially when it comes to water quality that drives so many of our smallmouth river systems.