A fishing website on Monday shared footage of an angler pulling a 22-inch garter snake from the mouth and belly of a 16-inch largemouth bass.
The footage, captured by Adam Young of Panfish Nation, is used as an example that largemouth bass, often referred to as bucketmouths, will prey on just about anything they’re able to ambush.
The footage was included in an article that mentioned other known prey items of Florida-strain bass. They include smaller bass, trout, bluegill, and tilapia.
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States Young: “In certain areas of the country like Florida and Texas, tilapia have infiltrated the local watersheds. The bad news is that these species compete with native species of fish…but the good news is that bass love them!”
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Young claims to have caught bass using hotdogs and bread. “You bet bass will eat hot dogs and tons of other strange foods too,” he writes. “Give it a try!”
To be sure, largemouth bass are not picky and have been documented devouring everything from bullfrogs to ducklings.
One of the most sought-after game fish in the United States, largemouth bass can weigh 20-plus pounds, although catches exceeding 15 pounds are extremely rare. (The world record is a tie between 22-pound, 4-ounce bass caught in Georgia and Japan in 1932 and 2009, respectively.)
Most anglers target bass using swimbaits and other lures that mimic prey, and most anglers practice catch-and-release.
