Conference wahoo::fishing

    
    Sounds like a rock bass to me....
    

    Sounds like a smallmouth

    Sounds like a Smallie to me to.
     
    I have been catching alot of smallies this year, most of them are
    real bronze in color with vertical black markings coming off the
    top and running down to about the middle of thier body, smallies 
    are also black and green,  Does anybody know they have different
    markings?  Most of the small mouths I have caught are airborne 
    on the retrieve.  
    At a toury this weekend I weighed in 9.5 lbs of bass, three were
    smallmouths, two bonze color wth the markings one green/black in
    color.
    
    Les
    
    

    I'd say its a smallmouth. Smallies tend to jump alot, and give a
    better fight than a largemouth pound for pound. Most of the smallies
    I've caught had the vertical dark bars as mentioned in -.1, but
    not all of them, even in the size range you described.
    
    Last year on the Merrimack, I saw a guy catch a smallmouth of about
    two pounds. When he got it in, I said "Nice smallmouth." He said,
    "Naw, that's a largemouth. Can't you see how big his mouth is?"
    Oh, brother!     
    
     The Doctah (who_at_least_knows_what_he's_catching)
    

    	Definitly a CARP.......... YUK YUK
     
                                                      NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~~~~
                               
                                   

    Sounds, like a carp to me also.
    
    Jim

    The way to tell a smallmouth from a largemouth is by the location
    of the jaw. If you hold the fish broadside the and draw a line staight
    down from the eye, the jaw or mouth will extend pass the eye towars
    the tail. On a smallmouth the mouth will end in line with the eye.

    ex:
 		_-_-_-_-_-/////_____"   
	eye----	 "o"   		     {{{{ Tail end
    	jaw---	>>>>>	)gil
    		__________----------
		largemouth	
    

    		_-_-_-_-_-/////_____"
    		 "o"		     {{{{
		>>    )
		__________----------
		Smallmouth
    
Jim

    I'VE SEEN CARP BEFORE AND THIS WAS DEFINITLY NOT A CARP.
    I'LL GO WITH THE MAJORITY AND SAY IT WAS A SMALLMOUTH.
                                 THANKS AGAIN.
                                              WALT

     I Have it, are you sure it wasnt a bird? if it was in the 
    air more than it was in the water, It could be a sabor tooth
    cat bat, deep set eyes, tail like a cat, teeth like a sabor
    tooth, and fly's like a bat, I personelly have never hooked
    on to one of these but i heard if you hook on to a big one
    it can actually pull you off the ground.
    
    thing's to keep in mind!!!
    if you hook one and it out weigh's you CUT THE LINE!!
    
    
    					Ronni

    Boy I thinks some people would die before entring a normal answer
    with out give a shot at someone or making fun of the topic!
    
    <flame off>
    
    It is a smallmouth!
    

    
    
    	That was not meant to be offensive, 
    
    
    		I THINK IT'S A CARP!!!

    I would hope that someone with the brains enough to fish the Quabbin,
    would also have the brains to tell a bass from a carp. Let's give
    the guy some credit. A carp has a mouth on the bottom of the head,
    not in the front like a bass. It's adapted to sucking garbage from
    the bottom, not feeding on live things like a bass. That durned
    fish be smallmouf! 
    
    The doctah
    
    ps I thought the bit about the cat bat was funny, not offensive.

    My first guess on the mystery bass would have been Rock Bass also
    because of the "Bloodshot eyes". If this is a smallmouth, which
    I am certainly not questioning, what does a Rock Bass look like?
    Or is this just another one of those "5 names for same fish..."
    Mike
    

    YO, 
        Have a laugh once in a while guys! One more thing, 
    
    RE: .12  - You are very wrong about carp not feeding on live things.
               They will also readily feed on the surface if food is
               available, ie; bugs or other floating yum yums. They
               will TEAR UP worms.
    
               (I was'nt serious about the fish being a carp. I really
                think it was a bullhead)
    
                                          NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~~~~~~~

    A rock bass is smaller, silver in color with a big red eye, (i not
    sure if it has a black center or not),  The fish almost looks like
    a crappie or a panfish.  It has a small mouth, and a very big big
    eye. 
    
    	A small mouth (bronze back) are brown/bronze could have balck
    or green, with small dots or a black tail.   The eye is not really
    red, but maroon lik the bass note stated.
    
    Hope this helps..
    
    Bassin Bob

    
    Serious reply RE: rockbass.
    
    The rockbass I have caught (many) are a mottled black/brown with
    white or sometimes grey/black belly and fins.  It has a mouth like
    a largemouth (I'm not sure if it extends beyond the eye).  The eye
    is a definite red and they don't usually run very big.  The biggest
    I have caught was under 2 pounds and they are more often under a
    pound and shorter than 10".  I find them the same places I find
    sunfish and other panfish.  They are common but they are not found
    in all waters. They do not fight as well as bluegill or largemouth
    and I have never seen one airborne.
    
    They are known by other names (goggle-eye, red-eye, etc).  What
    fish isn't?
    
    Steve

    YO  Bassin Bob,
                       I don't ALWAYS make jokes. Look back in the file.
                    My fishing expertise shows up all over! ha ha.
    
        Fine I'll get serious (god I hate this),  There is NO WAY any
    of us know what it was. We were not there. We can only guess. (or
    make a joke) If I am forced into guessing I will say SMALLMOUTH.
    If I feel like a joker I'll say it had to be a flounder.
    
                                              NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~~~~   
                                                 
                                                 

re:12
   > I would hope that someone with the brains enough to fish the Quabbin,
   > would also have the brains to tell a bass from a carp.    

    Er, ah,....I hate to break this to you, but the guy said he was
    fishing Wachusett res. Besides it doesn't take brains to fish
    Quabbin, like the guy who anchored his boat in the middle of the
    trolling lane out at gate #8, and was using surface plugs.
    
    Jim

    re: .18
                  ha ha ha!
                              If he was using surface plugs he must
                           have been fishing for catfish. Sounds like
                           that kind of fisherman. 
                                                    NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~~       
                                               

    Well,
    
    Looks like you need a Green Water Wizard to straighten this here
    fish tail. 
    
    1) Fish was definetly a smallmouth
    2) Fish was not a Karp
    3) Fish was not a Rock Bass.
    
    For fun catching smallmouth, largemouth, and large krappies (rock
    bass) goto S. Watupa in Fall River, Ma.
    
    - Dave 
    

    
    
    
    	Nothing beats a good topic, sounds like time for a tourney,,
    to see who's going to catch the mysterious fish, I'm stunned I 
    never caught a rock bass, i'm just familier with, L.mouth, 
    S.mouth and calico,,
    
    			no hard feelings
    
    
    		  			S.T.C.B
    

    RE:??
    
    A Crappie and a Rock Bass are not the same fish even though both
    are known as calicos from place to place.  A Krappie is another
    thing entirely but DonMac doesn't like us to talk about it here.
    
    I think the rest of you ought to purchase a copy of the Audubon
    Field Guide to North American Fishes like I did.  Until I read one,
    I didn't know doodlysquat about fish (Note: I said fish not fishing).
    Now I do.
                                                                    
    Steve

    re. 22
             Thanks for pointing out our stupidity. Will it have pictures
           and everything!!? Gosh.... 
     
                                      NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~~~~~~ 
                                           (who don't need no stinking
                                             book!)

    PS ...RE: .22
                     Oh yeh, "AUTHORITY". It's spelled CRAPPIE!!
    
                                       NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~~~~~~

    Details, Details! Quabbin, Wachusett... well at least I remembered
    it was a reservior. And, Jim, I bet you "hated to break it to [me]":-)
    Keep me on my toes. Even the doc isn't always right. But it WAS
    a smallmouth! I know, I was there! Yeah, that's it! I was there.
    That's the ticket. And I caught it. Yeah. And it was three feet
    long. Yeah. :#)!
    
    the Doctah (who's_on_his_toes_now!!)
                                       
                                   
    

    RE:25
    	HEY doc was that three footer a centerfold in the
    help me identify my fishy's book,  or did you by the
    special offer poster!!!!!!!!!
    
    I hope ya know we're just twisting line and not trying
    to break it

it seems very obvious to me it was a smallmouth carp rock bass. having
    caught many of these trophy fish i knew right away what it was.

    Its starting to sound like the ones swimming in Boston Harber.
    
    Jim

    The ones swimming in the Boston Harbor are BROWN CRAPPIE.
    
                                       NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~~~~~~

    Wit dem maryoon eyes it musaben a newclear fish. Did it glow?? Sumtimes
    dey jes op an take off in a big muskroom cloud. A mos dangeroose
    fish!!
    
    Coonass

    
    
    O.K. O.K. I GIVE. IT WAS REALLY  A  KIVVER, AND WITH THE HIGH LEVEL
    OF MERCURY IN THE REZ. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A NUKED FISH  OR
    IT COULD BE A NEW PROTOTYPE FISH THAT THE RUSSIANS SENT OVER HERE
    TO SEE IF THEY COULD DESTROY OUR WATER SUPPLY BY HAVING THE FISH
    EXCRETE MERCURY OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN A ALIEN FROM OUTER SPACE IN
    DISGUISE OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN......JUST A PLAIN OLE SMALLMOUTH.
            (NEXT TIME I TAKE MY CAMERA)
    

    I intend to settle this with the following information;
    I observed the planting and subsequent difficulties of the species
    in question.
    You see the fishermen in the Mass area had complained that they
    needed a better fish than was available and with the cooperation
    of the F&G and a large group of Biologists the developed several
    types of hybrids.
    The first was a cross between the Coho Salmon and the Walleye
    (remember the maroon eye). This hybrid was called the COWALL and
    was fairly successful but not quite what was desired.
    This fish you caught was evidently the second hybrid which was
    developed by crossing the COWALL with the Muskie.
    This hybrid looks right and is called a COWALSKI. The only
    problem is that you have to teach the thing to swim...
    
    Michael
    

                  (ONE MORE FOR THE FUN OF IT)
    
    Now guys, we all know it was an oversized shinner.
    
    
                  bartender
                 I need another drink!!!!!!

    
    re::.33   I meant shiner or could it be a smelt....
    
          bartender

     The COWALSKI (I'm die'n here haha) has an excellent sense of smelt
    too.
                        NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~~~~~
                  
    
                                                

    I wonder if the COWALSKI likes to bowl?, maybe a fish league? I
    wonder if they'll bite kelbasa with a bit of white horseradish?
    

    	If the COWALSKI likes to bowl, then does he do it in a FISH
    BOWL????  I'll bet he has small pins, too!  

    The Cowalski is pretty rare in England; my 'field-guide' dosn't
    mention it and it's really good to hear about the new species you
    guys keep discovering.
    
    Black Bass are found in Europe but there is only one location in
    England where they have been introduced. My guide tells me that
    their are two main types: Smallmouth and Largemouth. The sallmouth
    actually has a smaller mouth, it says, has no separated dorsal fin
    as in the largemouth and also has smaller scales having from 68-72
    in the lateral line where the largemouth will have from 60 - 68.
    
    It dosn't say what to do if the fish in question has exactly 68
    scales in the lateral line: perhaps it's a Medium Mouth?
    
    Bucko...
    Reading England...
    

    I shouldn't wonder that the Cowalski is not in the "field guide"
    the poor thing has just been taught to swim recently not to walk
    across fields...
    
    Michael

    	Not to mention that they are now trying to teach the Cowalski
    how to ski so that the ice fishermen don't have to drill holes in
    the ice.

    The attempted cross with the flying fish was trashed due to the
    potential FCC licence requirements.....
    

    Just in case this species does turn up in the river system of England
    how should we recognise it?
    
    Please describe:  Number of scales in lateral line
                      Fin and spine arrangement
                      Colo(u)r
                      Typical size and weight
                      Shape of mouth and barbles
                      Usual habitat
                      Size in bowling shoes
    
    Regards...Bucko, Reading England...
    

    re .42
    
    Number of scales in lateral line: 
    Three....This species only has four scales and the Hobart scale
    located at the lower rear is the only one out of alignment.
    
    Fin and spine arrangement:
    Retracable dorsal fin and four pectral fins (which are used for
    holding bottles and cans while feeding)
    Spinal column is slightly crooked as this species is quite prone
    to osteoporosis.
    
    Colo(u)r:
    Bloodshot red in early hours, turning to grey later in life.
    
    Typical size and weight:
    Basically categorized as follows:
    
    category        sub category             size       weight
    Fry               Pan              1 to 3 inches     2 oz
    Fingerling        Middle           4 to 5 inches     4 oz
    Juvenile          Smoker           12 inches         2 lbs
    Adult             Coker            2 to 3 feet       1 lb
    Senior            Stroker          12 inches         6 lbs
    
    Weight and size changes occur most in the head area.
    
    Shape of mouth and barbles:
    Mouth usually pursed into a tight "o".
    Barbles normally in the 125kilo class.
    
    Usual habitats:
    Normally found near shoreline especially around docks and Kiosks
    where alcoholic beverages are consumed.
    
    Size in bowling shoes:
    Same size as they are naked.
    
    I hope this will assist in species identification for Reading...
    
    Roses are red, Violets are blue, I'm schizophrenic, and so am I!
    
    Michael
    

    YO,
        Vericose veins in the nose area are common as well.....
         
    NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~~~