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"Florida Largemouth Bass" | Blue Gill | Eelgrass| Redear Scientific Name: Micropterus salmoides floridanus
Background: The Florida Legislature designated the largemouth bass as Florida's official freshwater fish for good reason. This beautiful hard fighting fish provides wholesome recreation for millions of residents and tourists each year and is an indicator of how well we are protecting Florida's aquatic habitat. Identification: The Florida largemouth bass is a recognized subspecies of the northern largemouth bass. It is a relatively long streamlined fish with a fin along the back that has a notch almost down to the back. The mouth is very large with the back edge extending behind the eye. The overall coloration is greenish with some golden brown and a cream colored belly. Diamond shaped vertical bars aften appear on the sides of the fish. In younger fish, this appears more as a horizontal stripe with the diamonds less well defined. Reproduction: Florida largemouth bass mature at about 10 inches in total length. Male Florida bass dig the spawning beds with their tails (caudal fins). Thus the size of a bass bed is generally roughly twice the length of the male fish. The females then come to the bed and broadcast their eggs where they are fertilized by the male. The male guards the eggs and young (called fry) for a short while after they are born. The female may visit several males during spawning season, and each nest may contain as many as 43,000 eggs. The eggs hatch in 2-4 days, but the fry cannot swim for another 4 days. The fry depend on a yolk sac for food for the first two weeks, although after the first week the mouth parts become functional and they can begin eating microscopic zooplankton. Growth: During the first year bass typically reach 7 inches, and it may be about two to two and a half years before the fish reach the sizes that are typically harvested by anglers. Male bass seldom exceed 18 inches in total length and a weight of about five pounds. Trophy bass are all females, with the unofficial state record being 20 pounds. However, the official state record (weighed on a certified scale and witnessed by a GFC biologist) is 17.27 pounds and was caught in 1986. Any bass over 8 pounds and 24 inches total length is eligible for the Big Catch Program. Bass this size are typically 8 to 10 years old. The oldest documented bass in Florida was 16 years old. Food: After the yolk sac is consumed, young bass depend on zooplankton until they reach about one-inch in length. Then they become carnivores opportunistically feeding on a variety of animal matter, mostly fish, insects and invertebrates. Sport: Largemouth bass are the most popular freshwater sport fishes in North America, and Florida has an outstanding reputation for providing quality bass fishing. However, Florida's population growth and its effect on aquatic habitats makes careful management of these fish critical if the species is to continue to survive and provide high quality recreational opportunities. Adherence to regulations and practicing effective catch-and-release skills with bass that you are not going to consume or have a taxidermist mount will significantly help sustain the bass fishery for future generations. Tackle:
More varieties of lures are available for catching bass than for just
about any other species. Plastic worms are a perennial favorite fished
either Texas- (with a slip sinker) or Carolina- rigged, especially along
the vegetation fringes that hold many bass. Weedless spoon and skirt
combinations also work well in heavy cover. Crank baits can be excellent
for schooling and open water bass. Most fishing is done early in the
morning or late in the afternoon. For anglers who prefer live bait, golden
shiners are the most popular typically fished on a 5/0 hook with a stout
rod and 20-pound test line.
Bass
regulations vary around the state. So be sure to check them before
starting your fishing trip. Habitat:
Bass like most freshwater fish require good quality water with plenty of
oxygen and relatively few contaminants to thrive. They also need firm,
sandy bottoms in which to build their nests, so they can lay and protect
their eggs. Aquatic vegetation is also vitally important. Plants help
prevent erosion along shorelines, reduce the movement of silt that can
bury their eggs, provides substrate for insects that are a primary food of
young bass, and provide hiding places for the small bass to escape
predators and from which they can stalk their prey.
Scientific Name: Lepomis macrochirus Background: Bluegill are the most common of the panfish in Florida and are part of a group of fishes commonly called "bream" or panfish. In reality, bluegill are part of the same sunfish family that contains the bass, crappie and other bream. Identification: Bluegill, like the other bream, are somewhat deep-bodied fishes. They have very small mouths and are distinguished by the bluish black gill cover and a similarly sized black mark at the lower back edge of the back fin (dorsal fin). The dorsal fin has two large lobes that are not deeply notched. They have long pointed shoulder fins (pectoral fins) and often have alternating greenish and bronze vertical stripes, especially when young. The belly may be pale or reddish, with the brighter colors occurring around spawning time. Males often have a copper-colored patch over the eyes, giving them still another colloquial name of copperheads. Reproduction: Bluegill bed in large groups during spring with their circular beds often touching one another. Spawining typically occurs April through October with May and June being the peak. Food: Insects and small crustaceans make up the bulk of their food, but some vegetation, fish eggs, minnows and worms play a role in their diets. Sport: Bluegill are highly sought after sportfish and can be fiesty fighters on ultralight tackle. However, one of the most common and productive means for catching them is to use a canepole with 6- to 10-pound test line. Earthworm or crickets make great bait and should be placed on a small hook with a long shank, remember bluegill have small mouths. A split-shot sinker about six inches above the hook and small bobber adjusted to keep the bait just over the bottom completes the rig. Cooking Your Catch: Baking
or broiling works well with lean fish such as bluegill or redear sunfish.
The fish should be well basted during cooking and not over-cooked to keep
them from getting dry. To freeze fish, it is best to place them in a
zip-lock bag full of water and squeeze out any air. There are no health
advisories, as of the end of 1996, anywhere in Florida affecting the
consumption of bluegill or redear sunfish. Scientific Name: Lepomis microlophus Background: Redear sunfish are also commonly called "shellcrackers" in Florida. They are among the largest and most colorful of the bream. Identification: Redear are somewhat deep bodied fishes. They have relatively small mouths and are distinguished by a bright red edge around their gill covers. The dorsal fin has two large lobes that are not deeply notched. They have an irregular pattern of brownish yellow splotches along the sides, with more green towards the back and red towards the belly. Males often have a copper colored patch over the eyes, giving them still another colloquial name of copperheads. Reproduction: Redear also bed in large groups during spring and prefer sandy bottom, often with a heavy cover of shells. Spawning typically occurs May through July. Food: Snails are their primary food. Insects, small crustaceans, fish eggs, minnows and worms also play a role in their diets. Sport: Redear are highly sought after not only for sport but also for food. The qualifying Big Catch size is 12 inches or 2.25 pounds, with youth being eligible if they catch a fish at least 75% of that size. The state record is 4.86 pounds and came from Merritt's Mill pond, the shellcracker capital of the world, having produced seven state and two world record shellcrackers. The site is located near Marianna, in Jackson County and was recently restored by the GFC. One of the most common and productive means for catching them is to use a canepole with 6- to 10-pound test line. Earthworm or crickets make great bait and should be placed on a small hook with a long shank, remember bluegill have small mouths. A split-shot sinker about six inches above the hook and small bobber adjusted to keep the bait just over the bottom completes the rig. Cooking Your Catch:
Baking or broiling works well with lean fish such as bluegill or redear
sunfish. The fish should be well basted during cooking and not over-cooked
to keep them from getting dry. To freeze fish, it is best to place them in
a zip-lock bag full of water and squeeze out any air. There are no health
advisories, as of the end of 1996, anywhere in Florida affecting the
consumption of bluegill or redear sunfish. Scientific Name: Vallisneria americana Background:
Eel-grass is also called tapegrass and is a submersed aquatic plant that
is commonly found in both freshwater lakes and swiftly flowing rivers. It
prefers clear water with a slight tannin stain. Eel-grass is an
outstanding habitat for bass, bluegill, redear and other species and is an
indicator of a healthy fishery. Description: Eel-grass is a submersed aquatic plant with dark-green ribbon-like leaves that are about one-inch wide and can be several yards long. It is a native plant that occurs throughout the southeastern United States and into the mid-west. Eel-grass is also an important waterfowl food. THANKS FOR SUPPORTING FISH & WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
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