# New species of local bass



## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

http://myfwc.com/research/freshwater/sport-fishes/black-bass/choctaw-bass/

We always called them spotted bass or red eyes but seems now they are calling them Choctaw bass, and they are just native to our coastal rivers in NW Florida. Yellow, Shoal, and Blackwater especially the upper stretches are loaded with a good population. Hard fighters, and fun to catch. Unlike the black bass, you cant keep any under 12" with the new regs...

Here's a good from awhile back...


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## Crazy Old Phil (Aug 29, 2014)

Nice looking fish whatever the hell it is. :thumbup:


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

I woulda just called it a bass and tossed him in the cooler, yikes


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## TFRIZZ30 (Jun 26, 2014)

Yup I had no idea. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

Someone posted this a year or so ago on here. Think it had some other good info about it. I'll have to search it later on.


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## gastonfish (Mar 24, 2012)

That is a spot you have there. The Choctaw is a different species and rare. I have actually caught one on Yellow river a few years back The eyes look to be oversized for the body but close to the spot or red-eye.


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## gastonfish (Mar 24, 2012)

WOW! Just taught me something jcross I didn't realize the new bag and size limit was exclusive to Largemouth. There are a lot of people that don't know the difference.


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## NKlamerus (Jan 4, 2016)

That's awesome!!


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## Buckyt (Oct 1, 2007)

Looks just like our spotted bass at lake weiss. Check to see if they have a patch of teeth on their tongue. Btw, they fight harder than a largemouth.


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

gastonfish said:


> That is a spot you have there. The Choctaw is a different species and rare. I have actually caught one on Yellow river a few years back The eyes look to be oversized for the body but close to the spot or red-eye.


This is what I always thought too, but after reading the small amount of info on the Choctaw bass they say the only difference other than DNA is the number of lateral lines...It's all new to me, I grew up hearing the slang name "red eyes" for the smaller mouthed bass in yellow and shoal and was told they were different from the spotted bass. I heard this from a local bass angler that has been hammering bass on our rivers for over 50 yrs..guess he was right after reading about the Choctaw.


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

Here's another link with some decent info.

http://www.ms-sportsman.com/details.php?id=3338


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

I think the pictured bass is a spot, but I guess I need to read up on the differences in the linked article with regards to fin rays, gill rakers, and such.


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## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

Is there a site that shows the difference?

Jim


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## gastonfish (Mar 24, 2012)

Best way to tell is to rub it's tongue. Spots are the only bass to have teeth on there tongue.


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## gastonfish (Mar 24, 2012)

The Choctaw I caught has such big eyes it looked like it came from the gulf. I caught it at night pitching a jig. I was stumped as to what it was. Contacted a biologist with game and fish with the info and this is where I first learned about them. Never seen one since. I am sure what we call red eye like you catch from little Blackwater are just spotted bass in super clear water


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