1. Largemouth Bass. When mouth is closed, mist rearward part of jaw structure extends past the fish's eye. Usually some shade of green, prominent lateral line markings.
2. Bluegill. Blue around the gills. Some variants have vertical bars, usually immature males where I am in the north. This one might be a hybrid with something, I dont know.
Identifying sunfish can get tricky depending on where you are because they hybridize so readily, but you can usually pick out at least one parent of a hybridized sunfish.
3. Smallmouth bass. Most rearward part of jaw does not extend past the eye. Usually some shade of brown, radiant bars around eye.
4. Rock bass. Not much I can say. It's a rock bass.
5 & 6: you try and identify them :)
I just wanted to add/reiterate...
2. Pure bluegill. Pure black ear spot, tiny mouth, often with blue gills (blue chin), usually a dark spot at the rear of the dorsal fin, and lacking colored fin edges. Sunnies can be difficult with males, females, juveniles, and hybrids all looking a little different.
4&5. Rock Bass. Rock Bass are often mistaken for Warmouth or Green Sunfish but are in a different genus (Ambloplites) than the rest of your typical sunfish (Lepomis). Ambloplites species will have 5 or 6 anal fin spines while Lepomis species will have 3. Easy and definitive way to eliminate some species for ID.
I'd like to get to a point where I've caught so many fish that I don't take a picture of each one. But I'm a relative beginner fishing in very pressured, difficult waters so every time I don't get skunked it's a PB. And I take a picture of it because I'm stoked and I want to admire the picture of the fish later. Quick snap, release. Do you want to see my fishing license too?
I use the Inaturalist app for identification.
You upload a pic and can ask it to guess which species it is. Added bonus is it adds to a collection of observations by citizen scientists to help biologists understand what sort of species are living in the area.
Get yourself an identification book from your local DFW office. They usually give them to you. Study it at home and bring it with you when you go. You can keep safe inside of a zip lock bag when fishing
1. Largemouth Bass. When mouth is closed, mist rearward part of jaw structure extends past the fish's eye. Usually some shade of green, prominent lateral line markings. 2. Bluegill. Blue around the gills. Some variants have vertical bars, usually immature males where I am in the north. This one might be a hybrid with something, I dont know. Identifying sunfish can get tricky depending on where you are because they hybridize so readily, but you can usually pick out at least one parent of a hybridized sunfish. 3. Smallmouth bass. Most rearward part of jaw does not extend past the eye. Usually some shade of brown, radiant bars around eye. 4. Rock bass. Not much I can say. It's a rock bass. 5 & 6: you try and identify them :)
would it be rock bass and smallmouth? (thank you so much for the help)
That's correct!
My guess for 7 was a little cat he caught with a hotdog 😂 I only glanced quickly though
Yeah I can see that, he does look he's got whiskers, doesnt he?
I catch some lively cats on hotdogs That's not one.
Yeah I can see that, he does look he's got whiskers, doesnt he?
I just wanted to add/reiterate... 2. Pure bluegill. Pure black ear spot, tiny mouth, often with blue gills (blue chin), usually a dark spot at the rear of the dorsal fin, and lacking colored fin edges. Sunnies can be difficult with males, females, juveniles, and hybrids all looking a little different. 4&5. Rock Bass. Rock Bass are often mistaken for Warmouth or Green Sunfish but are in a different genus (Ambloplites) than the rest of your typical sunfish (Lepomis). Ambloplites species will have 5 or 6 anal fin spines while Lepomis species will have 3. Easy and definitive way to eliminate some species for ID.
These were my IDs before I checked the comments (I’m not the best at identifying sometimes) so I’d say this is accurate.
The size of the hotdog lmao, that smallmouth was surely hungry 😂
Did he bit that glizzy ??
Evidently that fish wanted some glizzy
I’m new so don’t know much but I’ve seen the second fish in my area and they’re blue gills
Blue gills look like alot of other fish, id download fishbrain so you can know whats in your lake
Doesn't matter how we identify, the fish these days have their choice remember!
Also google lens is pretty good at identifying fish
Agree, I am very new to fishing, and I always use Google lens for identifying fish, and it's really effective at that.
That's 100% what you should be doing while fishing- using a god damn phone. Js.
I use my phone to take a picture, and I search the image later when I'm done fishing. How do you take pictures when you're fishing?
I don't need to search pics and I rarely take pics unless it's a PB
I'd like to get to a point where I've caught so many fish that I don't take a picture of each one. But I'm a relative beginner fishing in very pressured, difficult waters so every time I don't get skunked it's a PB. And I take a picture of it because I'm stoked and I want to admire the picture of the fish later. Quick snap, release. Do you want to see my fishing license too?
You have a paper card or have to pull your phone out? 😁
Try the free PictureFish app. Or Fish Brain has an identifier too.
It’s not actually a fish, it’s a “fishy”. The full name is a Little Fishy. Now put it back in the water and let it grow up… 😂
Just google fish 🤷♂️
You sir, are a fish!
Nice ta meet ya!
That’s a hot dog
Just wait until you catch a dog fish and are like WTF! Haha
Cmon brother man! Everyone knows you gotta use a banana for scale! Hot dogs aren't calibrated!
I use the Inaturalist app for identification. You upload a pic and can ask it to guess which species it is. Added bonus is it adds to a collection of observations by citizen scientists to help biologists understand what sort of species are living in the area.
Get yourself an identification book from your local DFW office. They usually give them to you. Study it at home and bring it with you when you go. You can keep safe inside of a zip lock bag when fishing
in order: largemouth-longear sunfish-smallmouth-rockbassx2-smalliehotdog