Bass food options in Westside urban lakes

[The Quadfather]

To clarify what I am asking about, I am referring to the food/prey choices for LMB in your typical small urban Seattle lake.
So I am no stranger to fishing LMB, but each year as I pound these small urban lakes, 10-20 acres, I ask myself, “What do these fish have to eat in here?”
You will only relate to what I’m saying if you fish these small city lakes. I’m not talking about Lake Washington/Samammish, etc.
The small lakes surrounded by houses, no boat launches. These lakes that I fish, have no crayfish, no small bluegill, perch, panfish, no frogs, salamanders, or whatever.
Sure, I’m the Spring there baby bass, amd they make a good meal, but literally can’t figure out how a fair amount of the LMB will get over 3 lbs, 5+.
I realize this is a symptom of our water runoff, fertilizers, surface street oils, etc.
On a similar subject, to me it is very similar to the general MA 9-10 beaches. Man, these are sterile beaches. But I’m not here to talk pollution, just curious about what my LMB from da hood, are eating?

[8theB8]

Bobber and nightcrawler the lakes and see what you catch. There's always a forage base. Go there at night and listen for frogs. Just because you can't 'see' them doesn't mean they aren't there.

[The Quadfather]

I hear what you’re saying, but as far Bobber/night crawler the lake, the only species outside of LMB, is stocker trout, and yeah of course a good size bass could take down a (small) stocker rainbow, it just seems like it wouldn’t be the main dinner course. Thanks for replying.

[8theB8]

I fished a lake for 10 years before I saw a sculpin or catfish in the thing. Everything that swims in a lake will eat a nightcrawler! Great research tool. A 2lb bass will eat a 6 inch stocker trout. Smaller than 2 and there's always bugs on or just about the water. Just slows the growth rate. A 5lber in one of those lakes is most likely a geezer of a bass lol

Researching little lakes like that is always fun because there's so many unknowns. Enjoy the detective work and post up what you find!

[fisherman92]

Maybe you found a cannibalistic tribe of bass haha they just feed on the smaller ones. "Baby Bass" can be one of the best colors for bass lures!

[FishnFred]

I've been fishing largemouth in west side lake for over 50 years, for the last 27 I've lived on a private lake of 30 acres in Snohomish county. My experience is the bass are opportunistic feeders and will eat anything and everything available. So much fun to find the answers to these mysteries! At my home lake there isn't any forage fish either, I think the small bass eat all bugs and stuff the trout eat. There are crayfishes of some species too, I've found some in stomachs or you can see that a little bass just ate one, they look swallowed a big lumpy something! The biggest bass definitely cannibalize the little ones and if my neighbors collect enough $$ to plant hatchery trout, they are on the menu as well.

The only reason there are larger bass in these smaller lakes is a lack of harvest, as they can be fished out by too many people eating everything they catch, C & R is the only way to maintain a quality fishery.
Have fun fishing, we'll never get all the answers but It sure is fun the discover a thing or two, just my two cents

[The Quadfather]

Thanks for your reply Fred. I realize that they are opportunistic, and of course anything bug that lands on the surface, etc. but these inner Seattle city lakes are amazingly sterile environments in regards to ANYTHING landing on the water.
I totally am with you on the C/R, 100%.
It might though be a worthy thing to harvest one of the MANY dink bass in here, and have a looksy at its stomach contents.

[FishnFred]

You're welcome, good idea to look in the stomachs of the little guys, I don't think there's much impact my harvesting a few of the >12" in lakes full of dinks. Eagles and ospreys put scars on about half of all the fish in my home lake and eat a lot of the A!
The trout guys have a stomach pump tool so they can match the hatch, Dutchman that I am I might use a turkey baster,,,,

[Dan]

The past year I have been fishing a few of the N Seattle urban lakes with limited success. Generally I am catching or see (some of the lakes are quite clear) fish under 0.5 lbs or over 3 lbs. I don't know what the eat and don't understand why a 1-3 lb bass seems so rare.