# Rock Bass or Smallmouth



## Davidd

The last few nights I was fishing off the shoreline at Edgewater. Thursday night seen a few guys walking away with walleyes. However, I caught some bass near the shore and they had red eyes. I am new to fishing and someone told me they are rockbass. To me it looked like a smallmouth but it did have red eyes. I just happy to catch a fish. My question is what is the difference between a rockbass and a smallmouth? Are they the same fish?


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## JamesT

They are different fish.

Here is a good example of how not to hold a rock bass (or any fish).










This is a smallmouth










Rock bass are also sometimes called rockies or goggle eyes(their eyes are big compared to their overall body size). They have red eyes. Smallies' eyes tend to be more orangish. Rock bass have a shape more like a bluegill (but thicker)while smallies tend to have a longer, skinnier body than rock bass.


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## LilSiman/Medina

Nice Smallmouth!


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## JamesT

LilSiman/Medina said:


> Nice Smallmouth!


not mine, taken from google images.


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## Red1

I dont know for sure but are there spotted bass in lake erie. I have seen some confusion about spots before.


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## Davidd

JamesT,
You are correct. What I was catching was a rock bass. They were shorter bodies with red eyes and fat. Not long like the smb picture that you illustrate. They guy said the same thing as you that the rockbass is more like a bluegill. Thanks for clearing things up for me.


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## catfishnut

So how do you tell a rockbass from a warmouth?


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## PolymerStew

catfishnut said:


> So how do you tell a rockbass from a warmouth?


A rock bass has 6 spines on its anal fin. Warmouth (and other lepomis sunfish) only have 3. 

Rock Bass- http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/fish.cfm?ID=31

Warmouth- http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/fish.cfm?ID=65

Smallmouth also has only 3 anal spines
Smallmouth bass- http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/fish.cfm?ID=7


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## Pigsticker

catfishnut said:


> So how do you tell a rockbass from a warmouth?


 Imo easiest way is a bass of any kind has a hinged jaw, and warmouth is more panfish like mouth. But those 2 are one of the tougher comparisons to look at.


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