The game is sometimes referred to as The Black Bass USA, which is the name used on the North American version's title screen.

The objective of the game is for the player to advance in a series of bass fishing tournaments at four different lakes.

When the lure lands in the water, the player can manipulate its movement to entice a fish to bite it.

The player can select from a variety of lure types and colors, with each being more or less effective depending on weather conditions and time of day.

Nintendo Power magazine gave The Black Bass an overall score of 3.5 out of 5 in their November 1989 issue.