Don’t be confused. They may have a bold new name, but they still have the same great game
A decade after Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. (July 17, 1955), he started work on a Florida theme park complex he called Disney World. When Disney passed four years before the Florida project’s grand opening on Oct. 1, 1971, his brother Roy oversaw the completion and changed the name to Walt Disney World.
Why? Because the man behind the magic was something special.
Similarly, 2024 saw the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announce a renaming of its own. Officially recognizing what anglers nationwide have long believed, the FWC has officially replaced the colloquially used “Florida-strain largemouth” with “Florida bass.”
FWC Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management Director Tom Graef said the change reflects a significant intellectual effort aimed at rightly positioning one of Florida’s most popular natural resources. Nothing whimsical, this fast-growing fish with double-digit weight potential fairly earned its new and boldly defining name.
“Based on research conducted by Yale University and information put out by the American Fisheries Society, scientists agree that [through genetics and science] the species we knew as the largemouth bass subspecies Micropterus salmoides floridanus found throughout most of Florida could now be more correctly categorized as its own species — Florida bass,” Graef said. “Within Florida, we typically had floridanus bass and, in the extreme northwestern part of the state, we either had populations that we thought, based on current science and research at the time, might be largemouth or largemouth/Florida bass intergrades.”
Clarifying the distinction, Micropterus salmoides — previously the scientific name for largemouth bass — now refers to Florida bass, originally found only in Florida and the southeastern U.S. (but widely stocked elsewhere). Micropterus nigricans now is used for the largemouth bass already familiar to anglers in the rest of the country. Essentially, Florida bass shook off its subspecies status and took on its own identity.
Graef summarizes: “The [Florida bass] are the exact same fish, and science is reclassifying them.”
Population notes: Florida bass join the mostly geographically concentrated Choctaw bass, Suwannee bass and shoal bass in the state’s broader black bass clan. As Graef said, the new naming announcement has no impact on the latter three.
What it means
The Yale study revealed that Florida bass have a larger range than once believed, with Micropterus salmoides also naturally occurring in parts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Beyond this, these angler-pleasing fish have been stocked in climate-appropriate waters from coast to coast.
As Graef points out, renaming a fish doesn’t change its genetics, but the more focused indication helps clarify and prioritize its management.
“The Florida bass genes are important, and elevating that and changing that to a species just points out more clearly that this group of fish is different,” Graef said. “From a management level, we can continue to evaluate how we do stocking or management based on those genetics while maintaining the Florida bass genetic strain within the state.
“Florida bass are known to grow big and do well in warm climates, and we’d like to continue that.”
Now, a quick online search will show plenty of remaining references to Florida largemouth bass, as well as the previously used Latin name for that former subspecies. Is every state where Florida bass have been stocked required to officially adopt the new name? It’s probably not a legal thing, but the American Fisheries Society (founded in 1870) is considered the foremost source of fisheries management information, so the organization’s voice will likely move other state agencies in that direction.
“I think there are questions to be asked, as with any research that comes out, and I think each state individually will look at that,” Graef said. “We’re looking forward to some communication with our counterparts in other states.”
Held in high regard
Not surprisingly, Bassmaster’s Florida events spark heightened enthusiasm among locals and out-of-state anglers alike. Late-winter and early spring events prove particularly exciting, as the biggest fish in tournament waters make their presence known.
Notwithstanding his proven smallmouth prowess, Canadian stick Chris Johnston actually grew up fishing reeds, pads and other vegetation for largemouth. Those shallow-cover skills translated well to Florida and anywhere the state’s private-label bass brand swims.
“I find I have a lot of success in Florida because it’s very similar to the way I grew up fishing,” Johnston said. “One thing that always happens in Florida is when you have fish in the livewell and you open the lid, as soon as they see light they try and jump out like no other fish I’ve ever seen.
“The Florida bass pull harder than Northern largemouth, but they are very temperamental to weather. They don’t like cold fronts. I don’t blame them. They enjoy the sun 90% of the year, and when it gets cold, they shut down and go dormant.”
In Johnston’s view, the species’ top-end growth potential balances the extreme weather sensitivity. Case in point: His favorite Florida-stocked lake speaks a dual message of the Florida bass growth and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s trophy lake management.
“I really enjoy Lake Fork, because the population density of 5-plus-pound fish seems to be higher in that lake than any other lake I’ve been to,” Johnston said. “Going there, I feel like you can catch a 9- to 10-pounder on any cast.”
Lovin’ the transplants: On his Kentucky Lake home waters, John Garrett has long enjoyed the stocking program that has introduced thousands of Florida bass into this and other Tennessee River lakes.
As Garrett explains, native largemouth chase cooler water temperatures by moving deep in the summertime and shallow in the fall. Conversely, Florida bass chase warmer water. That puts more big Florida bass relatively shallow during the hotter months, whereas fall’s cooling pushes them out to the main-river channel where the largemouth spent their summers.
Wherever he suspects Florida bass, Garrett knows he’s always facing a cagey opponent that balances lights-out potential with frustrating moodiness.
“If I’m in an area that has stocked a lot of Florida bass, you have to slow down,” Garrett said. “You always hear it in Florida, and it stays true for [Florida bass] everywhere else, they’re really hard to trick at times. A lot of times, I’m doing that with a soft-plastic bait and really soaking the area shallow.
“Offshore, I use both ends of the spectrum; I either fish really fast to cause a reaction bite because they’re really smart, or I’m fishing really slow to trick one.”
Virginia pro John Crews has won two Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series trophies on fisheries with predominant Florida bass populations — the St. Johns River (2022) and the stocked California Delta (2010). For him, part of the fun comes from matching wits with one of the most stubborn fish swimming.
“Florida bass are either on or off,” Crews said. “They can be very fickle about the lure presentation, similar to a smallmouth.”
Promotional value
Despite the Florida bass’ finicky nature, Graef believes the new name will help perpetuate the mystique of a fish boasting generational relevance. From shiner fishing on Lake Okeechobee, to flipping Lake Toho’s Kissimmee grass or ripping lipless baits and bladed jigs through Harris Chain grass, the stars of the Sunshine State have drawn families to the water for decades.
As Graef said, calling the fish by a new name takes away nothing. In fact, he believes it only serves to spotlight the state’s prestigious status.
“We like to think of [Florida] as the fishing and boating capital of the world and, clearly, the Florida bass is our iconic freshwater gamefish,” Graef said. “I think scientists have known that there was a difference, but now Florida bass are elevated to what some certainly feel is the right level.”
Ultimately, Florida’s tourism industry banks heavily on a tuxedoed mouse, but for rod-bending revelry, Florida bass continue to fuel a big chunk of the angling appeal. Be it Sunshine State waters or those stocked with this unique fish, anywhere Micropterus salmoides swims, anglers can fairly expect an E-ticket ride.
A little old-school Disney for you.
Elite Series pro Chris Johnston is a huge fan of Florida bass. He touts Lake Fork as his favorite venue for targeting these fish as any cast could result in a 10-pounder.
Photo by Chase Sansom
Register the giants
Bass anglers fortunate enough to catch a true Florida giant have the opportunity to help the state manage this species through Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s TrophyCatch program. With mandatory catch and release, this statewide effort collects data from angler reports and recognizes three achievement tiers: Lunker Club (8 to 9.9 pounds), Trophy Club (10 to 12.9) and Hall of Fame (13 or heavier).
The program asks anglers to submit documentation of their big bass including photo/video, weight and location. Big-fish details provide invaluable data that guide management decisions, so FWC rewards participation with various prizes.
“The [TrophyCatch] program is about citizen science and having people do what they love and help out the resource,” Graef said. “I would be remiss if I didn’t say thank you to all of the anglers that participate in this program.
“There’s no way we could have that many biologists in the field without this program. Citizen science is one of the bedrocks of this program.”
