Rock Bass/ Goggle eye

[dtrs5kprs]

Gogs have been going since it hit 60 degrees. They were mysteriously absent before then. Gravel and brushpiles. Also caught some thick ones on docks.

[Wesley]

is a google eye and rock bass the same fish

[Blll]

I think they are the same fish. Up north they seem to grow larger than those I've caught here but so do the bluegills. Red eyes and a body shape between a bluegill and smallmouth. Round tail and a hard strike. Not quite as good as Crappie or gills but not bad. JMO

[dtrs5kprs]

1 hour ago, Wesley said:

is a google eye and rock bass the same fish

Yes. There are supposed to be several varieties, but I don't think I could tell them apart. Ham or John can fill that in.

[Dewayne French]

What you must first look at in names of fish is that most names we as fishermen use are actually specific to a general area of the country.  Most of the time is not the "correct" common name for that species.  Much like white and black crappie are called specks, white perch, and the list goes on in different parts of the country.  The "Goggle eye" talked about here for us around the highland lakes of Ark/Mo here is a variant of 3-species... Ozark Bass-Shadow Bass-and Rock Bass 3 actual species (that look re-close to each other) .  Down in south Arkansas and other areas the goggle eye is actually our specie called the Green Sunfish .   The Green sunfish up here is a separate stand alone specie but it has many common names---Shad Perch, Big mouth perch, and Rice field slick.  But you see where I'm going with this.. 

  

[mojorig]

On ‎5‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 2:41 PM, dtrs5kprs said:

Gogs have been going since it hit 60 degrees. They were mysteriously absent before then. Gravel and brushpiles. Also caught some thick ones on docks.

That is an Ozark Bass, which is endemic to the White River.                 

The Shadow bass which looks very similar to the Ozark Bass is endemic to the Black River.

 

 

 Finally, the rock bass is found in the Northern Ozark Stream and through out the Mid and North US.  

Other Sunfish Species in TR include:.

Bluegill

 

Green Sunfish  

 

Warmouth        

 

Longear Sunfish   

 

Redear Sunfish  

 

 

Hope this helps!!

[dtrs5kprs]

Maybe "goggleye" really does work better after all.

Jeremy... Do they hybridize at all? Just curious, because I see them with all sorts of mixed features, in terms of marking, shape, etc. Might just be natural variation.

Better pic of that fish...

Others...

[mojorig]

I would say it is natural variation but I could be wrong.

[Ham]

On May 9, 2016 at 3:06 PM, Quillback said:

I have never caught one on TR, but maybe they just aren't that numerous up the White river.

They are my own personal gizzard shad.  (Ham will understand).

Oh no you didn't !

 

[Hunter91]

Oh No!! I have been eating Ozark BASS???? I think I am going to be sick