Last summer at Yellow Creek Lake, I spotted what I thought was a dead minnow, but on closer inspection it was a small largemouth with what looked like a bluegill in its mouth. The largemouth was about three inches long.

Every predator fish species eat each other's young of the year as soon as they can.

Fingerling bass are growing by eating the fry of any fish including their own species, it's a jungle of servival of the fittest. Zoo plankton is the smallest prey followed by small insect larvae, followed by tiny fry.

Paul Roberts can give you a better age estimate, it depends on growth rates.

Tom

9 minutes ago, WRB said:

Every predator fish species eat each other's young of the year as soon as they can.

Fingerling bass are growing by eating the fry of any fish including their own species, it's a jungle of servival of the fittest. Zoo plankton is the smallest prey followed by small insect larvae, followed by tiny fry.

Tom

Thank you for the information, I was kind of confused as to why, at that size it was going after another fry.

In the book "Inland Fishes of California" (Peter B. Moyle) 2002, it states "...by the time they reach 50-60 mm SL they are feeding largely on aquatic insects and fish fry, including those of their own species..."

The cheek stripes say that's a smallmouth. That's what it appears to be to me.

 

They're predators from birth.

As soon as they wean off their mother's milk they start hunting. 

6 hours ago, Jrob78 said:

As soon as they wean off their mother's milk they start hunting. 

"I have nipples, Greg.  Think you can milk me?"  Made me laugh.

2 hours ago, Heartland said:

"I have nipples, Greg.  Think you can milk me?"  Made me laugh.

LOL, bass teats...

I believe the rule is if it can fit it in it's mouth, it will eat it!

23 hours ago, Boomstick said:

I believe the rule is if it can fit it in it's mouth, it will eat it!

A girl I knew in school must have been a bass.

 

Interpret that one how you choose