W - December 19, 2020

WARMOUTH

Scientific Name:

Lepomis gulosus

Salt/Fresh:

Fresh

Also Known As:

Stump Knocker; Goggle Eye; Goggle Eye Perch; WARMOUTH; Warmouth Sunfish; Warmouth Bass; Redeye; Red-eyed Bream; Strawberry Perch; Mudgapper; Mo-mouth; Morgan; Molly; Rock Bass; Open Mouth; Weed Bass; Wood Bass; Mud Bass

Rating:

Countries:

Other Countries

Description:

The Warmouth is a native sunfish species. These fish range in size from 4 to 10 inches (10.2 to 25 cm), but can grow to over 12 inches (31 cm) in length, and weigh up to 2.25 pounds (1 kg).

How To Identify:

The adult Warmouth is dark, with a mottled brown coloration. Its belly is generally golden, and the male has a bright-orange spot at the base of the dorsal fin. Three to five reddish-brown streaks radiate from the eyes, and the gill flaps are often red. It has three spines in the anal fin, 10 spines in the dorsal fin, and small teeth are present on the tongue. The Warmouth is occasionally confused with the rock bass or green sunfish, both of which share its relatively large mouth and heavy body, though the Warmouth tends to be a bit larger in size. A common myth is that the Warmouth is a hybrid of largemouth bass and bluegill sunfish.

How To Catch:

The Warmouth is an aggressive fish, and can be easily caught by conventional methods using live baits such as earthworms, crickets, meal worms, wax worms or artificial baits ranging from small jigs and spinners to poppers and wet or dry flies. The Red Worm is the best bait for Warmouth; but they also love pastes, flag worms, wasps, gentles, green flies, butter flies, and grasshoppers.
The most common method is a pole fishing using a small piece of worm or a cricket floating under a pole float or bobber. Nightcrawlers, red wigglers, meal worms, wax worms, crickets, horseflies, and a variety of other insects work as well. Very small artificial lures are also popular bream baits. Small grubs (1 1/2" - 2"), tiny spinners, marabou jigs, and very tiny crankbaits are also good bait.

Where Found:

Internationally

Warmouth are found throughout much of the south in the Mississippi River drainage, from the Gulf and Atlantic coasts and northward to the Chesapeake Bay, and westward throughout Texas to the Rio Grande, and northward into the Great Lakes basin area. The Warmouth is a highly aggressive and hardy fish, and they can live in ponds, lakes, rivers, and backwater streams and can often survive in streams with low oxygen levels where other species of sunfish cannot. The species exists with breeding populations in southern portions of Canada.

WARMOUTH

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