Thursday Float 8/18

[Ham]

I was guessing that it was a Shadow bass based on the overall smaller size and the the darker olive blotches. The Rock Bass and Ozark bass I'm used to catching don't have that heavy blotching on them.

I know that it can be silly to try to ID fish on coloration.

[Arofishing]

Wow, wow, wow! If I caught a smallie like that on my fly rod I don't know what I'd do! Any guess on weight/inches?

[Chief Grey Bear]

I was guessing that it was a Shadow bass based on the overall smaller size and the the darker olive blotches. The Rock Bass and Ozark bass I'm used to catching don't have that heavy blotching on them.

I know that it can be silly to try to ID fish on coloration.

It is funny how the same species can differ from one watershed to the next. Even from one hole to the next on the same creek, river, what have you. I need a little pocket sized DNA kit!

[Al Agnew]

All three species can change colors very quickly and very radically. But Chief is right, the pattern of small dark spots on the sides is the most diagnostic to me, too...that and where you caught it. I have to say that the fish in the picture is not very typical of Ozark bass.

The dark spots...northern rock bass have a dark spot on just about every scale on their sides, which make up fairly unbroken rows of dark spots. Shadow bass have dark spots on many of the scales, but here and there will be a scale without the dark spot, which makes it look like broken rows of spots on the sides. Ozark bass are almost randomly spotted, with usually no obvious rows of spots, broken or unbroken. Which is why this fish looks somewhat like a shadow bass. You can see indications of rows of spots, although they are scattered and broken. Fewer spots and more broken rows of spots than what I typically see in shadow bass, but more of an indication of rows of spots than the random scattering of spots in the typical Ozark bass. This fish actually looks like a hybrid to me.

[yaknar]

Arofishing and Chief Grey Bear, thanks for noticing I also posted a picture of a large smallmouth. I have a ruler on my paddle but forgot to measure it. When I got home I laid a tape measure across my legs and tried to guess how long it,the fish, was. I can tell you it was caught around 6pm, in 2-3 foot of water, with a Rebel Pop-R. I thought the other one was just a goggle eye.

[TroutRinger]

Looks like a good trip. Where is the Jamesville access?

[yaknar]

TroutRinger, there is no real access at Jamesville,which is down M hwy from 14 out of Nixa. You can either walk/climb down beside the bridge or put in on the Finley, .2 miles up from the James and float down. With the river being down right now its more of a slippery walk down moss covered flat rock trying not to fall.