What kind of fish is this?

It looks like a small bass to me, but it has colored fins and tail. What is it?

Red eye spot I think

redeye bass

Most anglers call them 'redeye bass' but the Chattahoochee population was actually distinguished as a separate species (known as the Chattahoochee bass, Micropterus chattahoochae) in 2013. Since Alabama bass (previously Alabama spotted bass) were introduced to Lake Lanier in the 1970s it is increasingly rare to see one that's not a Chattahoochee x Alabama hybrid. Your fish does not appear to be a hybrid so I assume you were fishing near the headwaters of that drainage far from the lake. Anyway congratulations on finding and catching such a rare form of black bass!

Chattahoochee bass (M. Chattahoochae) restricted to the Chattahoochee River drainage


Alabama bass (M. henshalli) native to the Mobile River drainage


Chattahoochee x Alabama hybrid


Redeye bass (M. coosae) native to the Coosa River drainage

I clicked on this to say ask Shoal Bandit, but there you have it!

It was caught in Smith Creek downstream from the dam (Unicoi State Park)

I just love Shoal Bandit's style.......always DEAD ON!!!!

Like he said......congrats on the great catch!!!

What creek, river, or pond/lake did you catch it...that would definitely narrow it down...Jus Sayin

mrowland96 said:

What creek, river, or pond/lake did you catch it...that would definitely narrow it down...Jus Sayin

Click to expand...

It was caught in Smith Creek downstream from the dam (Unicoi State Park)

Thanks for sharing such a nice specimen with us. I love to see this pictures of fish that I don't have locally. One more for the bucket list.