What is it?

[buckpasser]

My kids are catching these in a little creek branch by my house in their crawfish trap. They are about 3” to 4” long. They look mostly like a baby bass, but have a round tail and no top sharp dorsal fin. They are larger than an adult mosquito fish. I don’t know if they are juvenile fish or adults. Thanks!

This isn’t a great pic, but I’ll try to get some better ones if possible.

 

[buckpasser]

 

[NCHillbilly]

They look like pirate perch to me.

 

[Batjack]

Calling @ShoalBandit.

 

[buckpasser]

They look like pirate perch to me.

Dude! I knew your skills in plant ID were unmatched, but I didn’t know you had it in you for a small fish! Thank you!

I’m 40. I’ve waded, netted and fished around here since I could walk and never knew about pirate perch!

 

[NCHillbilly]

Dude! I knew your skills in plant ID were unmatched, but I didn’t know you had it in you for a small fish! Thank you!

I’m 40. I’ve waded, netted and fished around here since I could walk and never knew about pirate perch!

I catch them in minner traps in my little creek in SC sometimes. I was curious, so I looked them up. I'm always curious and wanting to learn about about all living critters in my environment.

 

[oldfella1962]

I googled this oddball of a fish. It is the only living member left of a family of fish that used to be widespread. How cool is that?

 

[lampern]

Fishes of Georgia: Fish Species Description

Georgia Fish: Freshwater fish distributions, classification, conservation status, and distribution comments for Georgia.

fishesofgeorgia.uga.edu

 

[warronl]

Looks like a Flier

 

[James12]

The lil ones make great warmouth and spec bait! Tough too!