 WARMOUTH
Scientific
Name: Lepomis gulosus
Other
Common Names: goggle-eye, red-eyed perch
Identification
Similar
in appearance to the rock bass and sunfish, the warmouth has
a thick, oblong body, which varies from brassy to
dark olive-green. It has broad, irregular dark bars that give it
a mottled appearance. It is easily identified by red eyes and a
large mouth, which is similar to a bass. Its upper jaw extends
to or beyond
the middle of the eyes. Three or four conspicuous dark stripes
radiate back from the eyes across to the cheek and gill cover.
The soft-rayed
portions of the dorsal and anal fins are marked with rows of dark
spots. The anal fin on the warmouth has three spines compared to
the rock bass which has six anal spines.
Habitats and
Habits
Warmouths inhabit
swamps, marshes, shallow lakes, slow-moving streams and canals
with soft, muddy bottoms. They
prefer to stay around aquatic vegetation, stumps and snags, and
under the banks of streams and ponds. They have more tolerance
for muddy
water than most species.
They feed mostly
in the morning on crayfish, shrimp, insects and small fishes.
Fishing
Techniques
Anglers can use
a variety of small artificial baits, as well as worms, small crayfish
and minnows.
Good Places to Fish: Warmouths are most prevalent from the middle
of the state eastward. They are found from the southern parts
of the Catawba and the Yadkin-Pee Dee basins and all of the Lumber,
Cape Fear, Roanoke, Neuse, Tar-Pamlico, Chowan, Pasquotank and
White Oak river basins. Warmouth have also been found in western
parts
of the state, scattered and in very limited numbers.
NCARP Minimum
Requirements: 1
pound or 11 inches
State
Record:
1 lb., 13 oz., from McLeod’s
Pond in Richmond County, May 7, 1976
World
Record: 2 lbs., 7 oz., from Guess Lake, Yellow River
in Holt, Fla., Oct. 19, 1985*
* Anglers
provide information on their potential world-record catches directly
to the International
Game Fish Association, which maintains the world records
for sport fishing.
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