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PANFISH > WARMOUTH
FRESHWATER FISHING
Warmouth
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Warmouth
(Chaenobryttus gulosus)
Common Names
- warmouth bass, warmouth perch, goggle-eye, redeye and
goggle-eyed perch.
Description
- The warmouth closely resembles a bass or a bream. It
has a stout, deep body similar to that of a bluegill or
redear sunfish, yet has a large bass-like mouth. The red
eye and large mouth are the first conspicuous field
marks of mature warmouth. They vary from brassy to
dark-olive green and often have a purple tint overall.
Broad, irregular dark bars give it a mottled appearance.
The soft-rayed portions of the dorsal and anal fins are
marked with rows of dark spots. Three or four
conspicuous dark stripes radiate back from the eye
across to the cheek and gill cover.
Subspecies
- There are no recognized subspecies. However, warmouths
readily hybridize with other members of the sunfish
family.
Range
- Found throughout Florida.
Habitat
- Warmouths inhabit swamps, marshes, shallow lakes,
slow-moving streams and canals with soft, muddy bottoms.
They prefer to stay around aquatic vegetation, stumps,
and snags and under the banks of streams and ponds. They
have more tolerance for muddy water than most species.
Spawning Habits
- Warmouths are solitary nesters that prefer to build
their nest adjacent to some submerged object. Nests are
found over a wide range of water depths. They often
spawn more than once a year usually between April and
August. Females may produce 3,000 to 23,000 eggs.
Feeding Habits
- Warmouths are carnivorous. Crayfish, shrimp, insects
and small fishes make up the bulk of its diet. Most of
its feeding is done in the morning, as it seems to sleep
at night.
Age and Growth
- Warmouths are capable of living up to eight years and
may reach a length of 12 inches and a weight of
approximately one pound.
Sporting Qualities
- The warmouth is one of the more easily caught sunfish
by anglers using cane poles and natural baits, spinning
tackle with small topwater lures and shallow-running
spinners. They strike hard, frequently breaking the
surface of the water. The best place to catch warmouths
is shallow water around trees, stumps, or vegetation. As
a sport fish, specific bag and size limit
regulations
apply, and you can register a qualifying catch as part
of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission's
"Big Catch"
program.
Eating Quality
- The warmouth are good to eat when caught from clean
water. Like other panfish they are relatively small and
bony. The flesh is usually prepared by deep-frying after
rolling it in seasoned cornmeal.
State Record
- (and World Record) 2 pounds, 7 ounces, caught in Guess
Lake (Yellow River), Florida, in 1985. (Please check
link for updates)
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