Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass where origionally introduced in 1927 and are a member of the Pan. They are most often a bronze to brownish-green color with dark vertical bars/spots along their sides. Their eyes are usually redish in color. They have soft dorsal fins, 13-15 rays, with a shallow notch in the middle.
Male smallmouth bass tend to be smaller than the female. River water smallmouth that live among dark water tend to be rather torpedo shaped and very dark brown in order to be more efficient for feeding. Lakeside smallmouth bass however, that live for example in sandy areas, tend to be a light yellow brown to adapt to the environnement in a defensive state and are more oval shaped.
Habitat
Smallmouth Bass are abundant in the Verde River, Black River, Apache Lake and to some degree in Roosevelt Reservoir and Lake Powell. They prefer rocky habitats in streams and lakes with clear waters and generally prefer cooler water temperatures than its cousin the Largemouth Bass. Because it is relatively intolerant of pollution, the Smallmouth Bass is a good natural indicator of a healthy environment, though it can better adjust to changes in water condition than most trout species.
Diet
Shad and crayfish are consumed in lakes; and crayfish and minnows in streams. In streams, smallmouth can be very aggressive when hellgrammites and terrestrial insects are available.