However, as their distribution is not very great, there are not too many different habitats in their range. Shoal bass are generally olive green to nearly black along the back. Shoal Bass - Micropterus cataactae - World record 8 pounds, 12 ounces - Natural range is the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee and Flint River drainages of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, has been introduced to nearby waters especially the Altamaha River in Georgia. Shoal Bass in Moving Water. These species are po-tential competitors for prey and space because they have similar morphology and prey. They also feed on larval insects, crayfish and fish. The belly is creamy or white and wavy lines may appear slightly above the white belly on the sides. The shoal bass is becoming increasingly uncommon in the Apalachicola and Chipola Rivers because so few shoals exist and competition with non-native spotted bass has increased. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T202562A19034788.en, "Native Shoal Bass: Unique Habitat Conditions Foster a Popular Fishery", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shoal_bass&oldid=985012886, Freshwater fish of the Southeastern United States, Articles needing additional references from July 2011, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Shoal Bass (Micropterus Cataractae) Flint River, GA (released). Some have been known to reach more than eight pounds. The practice of fly fishing for shoal bass is becoming more widespread. Redeye bass have white margins on the upper and lower edges of the caudal fin; white fin margins are absent on shoal bass. Conversely, anglers are urged to keep all spotted bass caught on the Flint River because of its competition with and potential for hybridizing with the shoal bass. Three diagonal black lines radiate along the side of the head looking like war paint. a list of the State Record Freshwater Fish. To counter population declines, restorative stocking efforts are becoming an increasingly relevant management strategy. They might not have the size of larger black bass cousins, but they make up for it with pulling power. The best way to weed out other fish is to focus on larger portions aimed at the the larger Shoal Bass. Whereas redeye bass have teeth on the tongue, shoal bass do not. Of typical size for a black bass, M. cataractae reaches a maximum recorded length of 24 inches (61 cm) and a maximum published weight of 8 pounds, 12 ounces. Unlike largemouth bass (M. salmoides), spotted bass (M. punctulatus), and other widely distributed black bass species, shoal bass … Shoal bass are closely associated with rock shoals and are uncommon in other habitat due to its unique spawning requirements. Prior to ’99, it was thought that the Shoal Bass was just a sub-species of the Red Eye Bass, or Suwannee Bass. We used species distribution models to determine which factors contributed most to shoal bass range loss. Whereas redeye bass have teeth on the tongue, shoal bass do not. While, also found in rivers and streams in East Alabama, where it is declared endangered. In this area, the trout regulations dictate what type of lures you can use to fish for anything in the river. One of the black basses, it is native to subtropical waters in Florida and Georgia. The Shoal Bass (Micropterus cataractae) is a focal species for research and conservation efforts because it’s considered imperiled throughout its native range (the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River basin), having faced population loss and decline throughout. Spawning occurs from later April into May. The red color of eyes associates this species with the redeye and Suwannee bass at first glance. Shoal bass can also be caught in the Chattahoochee below Morgan Falls dam in the summer when the water is warmer and wade fishing is a good option. Endemic to the Apalachicola River basin of the southeastern USA, the Shoal Bass Micropterus cataractae is a fluvial‐specialist sport fish that is imperiled because of anthropogenic habitat alteration. Its range in the Peach State is limited to the drainage of the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers. The shoal bass and the redeye bass are easily confused, even though the two have nonoverlapping ranges. The shoal bass (Micropterus cataractae) is a sportfish endem-ic to the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Basin of the southeastern United States (Williams and Burgess 1999). A keeper shoal bass in the Flint is 12 inches in length. It is also often confused with the smallmouth bass, due to its faint vertical stripes along the side of its body. 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