Smallmouth Vs. Rock Bass

[sashimigrade]

There seems to be some confusion about identifying rock bass vs. little smallmouth amongst my fishing buddies. I was on a spot catching a few little fish, what I thought were little smallmouth. My buddy was telling me that they were rock bass because they had red eyes. I wasn't sure because they looked exactly like smallmouth. So I started a little research.

My research turned up some of the same confusion. People calling fish rock bass solely because they had red eyes. From what I can see from a good source, red eyes aren't the key identifier, rather the rock bass has a 6 spine anal fin that the smallmouth doesn't have. I also read that smallmouth can have red eyes. So to call a bass a rock bass because of red eyes is not completely correct.

Here are my sources...

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/f ... 2353_7.pdf

I know wikipeda is a controversial source but they're usually pretty good with basic stuff like this...

"The smallmouth bass is generally brown (seldom yellow) with red eyes..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallmouth_bass

[HookUp]

You don't even need to look at them.

Rockbass strike hard, then peter out right away becoming dead weight when reeled in.

Small mouth strike, then the fun begins w/ aerial manuevers, shaking, thrashing until you get them.

[inrll]

IMHO they have totally different bodies shapes as well. Their markings are very different too.

You are correct in thinking eye color alone cannot be used to ID them as both can have red eyes.

[jimsnores]

You don't even need to look at them.

Rockbass strike hard, then peter out right away becoming dead weight when reeled in.

Small mouth strike, then the fun begins w/ aerial manuevers, shaking, thrashing until you get them.

True. Some fish are hard to identify compared to others, but smallies and redeyes (Rock Bass, not Coosa Bass) are not among them.

[sashimigrade]

True. Some fish are hard to identify compared to others, but smallies and redeyes (Rock Bass, not Coosa Bass) are not among them.

I agree but I was surprised how my people out there are using the red eyes as the identifier. My buddies were so adamant that they were beginning to convince me against my best judgement. I don't catch many rock bass but I agree with inrll in regards to the body shape being different. That's how I've always identified them in the past.

I see that you guys know what's what, but you might be surprised how much confusion there is out there. I just thought that this might help some people.

[Steelyak]

I've seen smallies with red eyes, but that's not what I mean when I say red-eye bass the red surrounds the eye too. Like Hookup said rock bass are easily detected on the line b/c their punch doesn't even last one round. Always a bummer when you feel that hit and then it dies, a lot like a fall fish. Any tips on how to avoid the rock bass and catch a higher % of smallies??

[harm]

What Hookup said. Both can have red eyes, but rock bass just ski to the kayak.

As for catching more smallies than rock bass? I guess I'd suggest some bigger baits.

[PA-Smallies]

rock bass - body shape more like a sunfish... dead give away if all else fails.. six distinct spines forward of the anal fin for the rock bass.

[Rafterman]

I know Rock Bass (we called them Goggleyes growing up down South) get a bum wrap, but they are excellent eating fish.

We catch some huge ones up in the Adirondacks (Raquette Lake) and they fry up quite nicely.

But yeah, not sure how anyone could confuse them for Smallmouth.

[we3jeepers]

caught this 13" Smallmouth today