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Species &
Identification for Lake Fork
 Largemouth
bass
are usually green with
dark blotches that form a horizontal stripe along the middle of the fish
on either side. They have a nearly divided dorsal fin with the anterior
portion containing nine spines and the posterior portion containing 12
to 13 soft rays. Their upper jaw reaches far beyond the rear margin of
the eye. The Lake Fork spawn begins in the spring when water
temperatures reach about 60° F. This could occur as early as February or
as late as May. Largemouth bass prefer to nest in quieter, more
vegetated water but will use any substrate besides soft mud, including
submerged logs.
 White
crappie is deep-bodied and
silvery in color, ranging from silvery-white on the belly to a
silvery-green or even dark green on the back. There are several vertical
bars on the sides. The dorsal fin has a maximum of six spines. White
crappie nest in the spring, generally when water temperatures reach 65°
F to 70° F.
 Black crappie
is easily confused with the white
crappie. However, it is deeper bodied than the white crappie, and
silvery-green in color. There are no distinct vertical bars, rather
there are irregular black blotches. The dorsal fin has seven or eight
spines. They nest in the spring, generally when water temperatures reach
60° F.
Yellow bass
are sometimes confused with white bass but there are several distinguishing characteristics. First, the belly
may take on a yellow color, from which the species derives its common
name. Second, the two lowermost stripes are distinctively broken just
posterior to the middle. Also, the second and third anal spines are
approximately equal in length.
 Channel catfish
are easily distinguished from all
others, except blue catfish, by their deeply forked tail fin. Unlike flathead catfish, the upper jaw projects beyond
the lower jaw. Coloration is olive-brown to slate-blue on the back and sides, shading to silvery-white on the
belly.
Blue catfish
have a forked tail, and are
sometimes very similar to channel catfish. The number of rays in the anal fin is typically 30-35, and coloration is
usually slate blue on the back, shading to white on the belly.
 Flathead catfish
have a smooth, scale less skin,
whisker-like barbels around the mouth, and long, sharp spines on the dorsal (back) fin and one on each side of the
pectoral (shoulder) fin. The belly is usually pale yellow or cream colored. The head is broadly flattened, with a
projecting lower jaw. The tail fin is only slightly notched.
Bluegills
may be distinguished from other sunfish by the dark spot at the base of
the dorsal fin, vertical bars on their sides, and a relatively small mouth. The spiny
dorsal fin usually has 10 spines (but may have as many as 11 or as few as 9), and is broadly connected to the
soft dorsal. The anal fin has three spines.
 The
Redear is a deep-bodied
sunfish with a relatively small mouth. Color ranges from dark olive
green above to almost white on the belly. The sides are usually
yellow to green. The spinous dorsal fin, which is anterior to the soft dorsal fin, is normally equipped with 10
spines, although 9 or 11 spines are sometimes observed, and it is broadly connected to the soft dorsal fin. The
anal fin has three spines. The species' most distinct characteristic is the red edge on the opercle (“ ear” )
flap of the male (orange on the female). |
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