Name this fish??

[crappiecripplerjigs]

View attachment 4View attachment 5View attachment 6I have caught many different species of "perch" over the years. Earlier this week I was fishing in a Kansas strip pit and ran across a strange looking creature. Lower half looked like a bluegill with the orange belly. Red ear looked like a "redear" or "hybrid bluegill". This fish had red eyes as well like a "goggle eye, rock bass". The upper half of the body was much the color of a bass or crappie. I'm adding pictures of what we call bluegill and what we call hybrid bluegill, and "the creature".

 

[crappiecripplerjigs]

Nobody knows??????? He would have looked neat mounted, but he is still swimming!

 

[Ron Don]

Ha you wont believe it... I caught several of those fish today in SE Arkansas. I took pics cuz I didnt know what it was either. I'll post a pic of one I caught. They have a mouth like a bass. I think they have overrun a small canal that I usually catch alot of BGs in. I didnt catch a single BG but caught several of these "creatures" as you called them.

 

[Ron Don]

Here is a couple pics of the smaller ones I caught. The smaller ones were alot lighter colored. I did catch a couple larger ones that were identical to yours.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

Possibly a green sunfish/goggle eye hybrid or green sunfish/redear ??? I think the green sunfish crosses with more species of sunfish than any other species. Very interesting fish.

 

[cadman]

I have caught many different species of "perch" over the years. Earlier this week I was fishing in a Kansas strip pit and ran across a strange looking creature. Lower half looked like a bluegill with the orange belly. Red ear looked like a "redear" or "hybrid bluegill". This fish had red eyes as well like a "goggle eye, rock bass". The upper half of the body was much the color of a bass or crappie. I'm adding pictures of what we call bluegill and what we call hybrid bluegill, and "the creature".

The first is a bluegill
The second is a pumpkinseed or a cross
The third is a hybrid
Just my guess that's what we call them here.

Here is a couple pics of the smaller ones I caught. The smaller ones were alot lighter colored. I did catch a couple larger ones that were identical to yours.

Ron Don that looks like a rock bass if it has a red eyes, or maybe a warmouth cross.

check this out http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/default.cfm

 

[Ron Don]

Hmm well whatever they are thats two new species for me!

 

[JSC]

I would just call it a "Warmouth" as I have seen them in all different "Configurations" (SP) ... the small tail for the size of the fish is a feature I notice .. if it was wider they would give you a much better fight.

I have heard them called "Government Bream" .. being mixed in with stockings from a hatchery.

JSC

 

[Jiggin Joe]

i thought it kinda had the coloring of a crappie and mouth to but eyes of a rock bass hmmmmmmmmm guess thats why I'm not a marine biologist

 

[AtticaFish]

CCJ - I was thinking a green sunfish, but don't remember catching any with the redear like that... so not too sure. Greenies can be very aggressive and go after some large baits - caught some on rapalas were the lure was larger than the fish.

RD - Your fish looks darn near the same... you fishing a mud puddle?

 

[papaperch]

Russ - that fish goes by many names but here locally it is called a "warmouth bluegill " or just plain "warmouth ". They are extremely agressive feeders and spawners. Ususually if stocked in a pond they will shortly be the most populous specie. They do taste ok but due to extemely large head and high rib cage your meat return compared to body size is poor.

I might add that this particular fish is explained by some as a bass X blugill hybrid, crappie X bluegill hybrid or whatever. All are false they are a natural occuring specie of the bluegill. My neighbors pond is chock full of them to the point it is almost impossible to catch a regular bluegill in his pond. Biggest I have ever seen was around 12 ".

 

[slipbobber]

ron dons fish are rock bass . colors are strange due to color and clarity of water. a warmouth is alittle darker. ill post a pic of 1 this week.....We use war mouth all the time for catfishing. they stay alive a long time on the hook, and swim alot.

 

[JSC]

View attachment 1
I started out Bass Fishing with Buzz Bait this AM ... got one 12 " went to another spot chuked the BB a while went to a 1/4 oz spinner bait and the Warmouth ate it up .... (28warmouth and 2 "chubs") one of the warmouth was a little odd ... thought it was a cracker at first as it had a small red ear . and was lighter colored .... these all came out of a branch of the river (Choctawhatchee) "Big Sister" .... hope the pictures come out all right.

JSC

Under the Pix it says 38 should be 28 ... sorry about that good enough catch with out stretching it.