BIOLOGICAL 113 



moods of the individual fish. Discomfort, pain, fear, 

 anger or other emotions can quickly change a fish's 

 color. Keepers of aquariums soon learn to recognize 

 a fish's condition by its color. I once caught a large 

 mouthed black bass weighing a little over five pounds 

 that was the color of polished brass. He is still living 

 in the breeding ponds at Bass Lake, Ind., but has lost 

 most of his glorious tint. 



HABITAT 



The large mouthed black bass is not as aristocratic 

 as the small mouthed and will do well in still, weedy 

 waters or in slow, sedge-bordered rivers although he 

 is often found in the same lake or stream as the small 

 mouthed. Under such conditions you will usually find 

 him in the weedier portion, which he prefers. 



FOOD 



The teeth of the large mouthed bass are the same 

 as those of the small mouthed and his feeding habits 

 are similar but not quite as dainty. He adds to his 

 diet such food as is naturally found in his habitat, such 

 as snakes, warm water minnows and young fishes, not 

 even passing by young muskrats, or half-grown water 

 birds. Frogs are also included in his diet by most 

 anglers, probably because they make excellent bass 

 bait, and he will eat them when he gets the chance, 

 which is not often. His habitat does not generally 

 compel him to be as active as the small mouthed which 

 inclines him toward sluggishness. 



