I wanted to put together a total list of fish species I’ve caught, just to try and keep a running tab. Hopefully it will continue to grow as I fish more new waters. I think I get just as excited catching new species as I do catching truly big fish. I’m not on any kind of mission to catch a certain number of species, I just think it will be interesting to maintain and revisit the list from time to time. It should also help to serve as a place to ID a fish that you’ve caught, but have no idea what it is. Of course, I’m not a biologist, so take what I post with a grain of salt, most of my knowledge comes from experience, and the internet. In time I will add other freshwater fish from different families, then move on to saltwater, but for now here are the sunfishes.
Warning to some though, things are about to get nerdy. I’ll separate each species according to it’s taxonomy. Today I’ll start in freshwater with the sunfishes, family Centrarchidae, which has 8 genera, and 34 species native to North America. So far I’ve caught 21 of them. It helps to live in the Southeastern U.S. if you want to catch a variety of sunfish.
Where possible I’ll put up a picture and a distribution map of those that I’ve caught. Click the map for more information about that particular species. The distribution maps come from the original NatureServe Explorer or the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species site. Both are pretty good resources for finding information on specific plants and animals. I did not produce these distribution maps so I can’t confirm their complete accuracy, but I do trust they are mostly accurate.
Update, June 2018: Both of Lance Coley’s articles on black bass species have gone the way of the do-do. Tim Bonvechio and Patrick Cooney have a pretty good article on black bass up on The Fisheries Blog highlighting the 9 species that the scientific community are in agreement on. Work is being done to add more and those are mentioned in the article as well, so be sure to check it out.
Update, April and August 2021: I added a few new-to-me species this year and updated range maps for species that didn’t have one or where the range map info was old and outdated
Ambloplites – Rock Bass
Ambloplites ariommus – Shadow bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 1 IMGP4880](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp4880.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 2 shadow bass range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/shadow-bass-range.gif)
Ambloplites rupestris – Rock bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 3 IMGP0816](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp0816.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 4 rock bass range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/rock-bass-range.gif)
Centrarchus – Flier
Centrarchus macropterus – Flier
![— Mountains to Marsh 5 img 8716 — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/img_8716.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 6 flier — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/flier.png)
Lepomis – Sunfish
Lepomis auritus – Redbreast sunfish
![— Mountains to Marsh 7 IMGP0450](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp0450.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 8 redbreast sunfish range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/redbreast-sunfish-range.gif)
Lepomis cyanellus – Green sunfish
![— Mountains to Marsh 9 IMGP0447](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp0447.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 10 green sunfish range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/green-sunfish-range.gif)
Lepomis humilis – Orangespotted Sunfish
![— Mountains to Marsh 11 img 6351 — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/img_6351.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 12 orangespottedsunfish — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/orangespottedsunfish.png)
Lepomis gulosis – Warmouth
![— Mountains to Marsh 13 IMGP5604](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp5604.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 14 warmouth range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/warmouth-range.gif)
Lepomis macrochirus – Bluegill
![— Mountains to Marsh 15 IMGP6182](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp6182.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 16 bluegill range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/bluegill-range.gif)
Lepomis marginatus – Dollar sunfish
![— Mountains to Marsh 17 IMG_8956](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_8956.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 18 dollar_sunfish](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/dollar_sunfish.gif)
Lepomis megalotis – Longear sunfish
![— Mountains to Marsh 19 IMGP4363](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp4363.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 20 longear sunfish range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/longear-sunfish-range.gif)
Lepomis microlophus – Redear sunfish
![— Mountains to Marsh 21 IMGP5611](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp5611.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 22 redear sunfish range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/redear-sunfish-range.gif)
Lepomis miniatus – Redspotted sunfish
![— Mountains to Marsh 23 IMGP4366](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp4366.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 24 redspotted sunfish range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/redspotted-sunfish-range.gif)
Lepomis punctatus – Spotted sunfish
![— Mountains to Marsh 25 img 6591 — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/img_6591.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 26 img 6593 — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/img_6593.gif)
Micropterus – Black Bass
Redeye Bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 27 redeyebass ranges — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/redeyebass_ranges.jpg)
Micropterus cahabae – Cahaba bass (formerly Redeye bass, from the Cahaba River drainage)
![— Mountains to Marsh 28 20180506_095017](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/20180506_095017.jpg)
Micropterus chattahoochee – Chattahoochee bass (formerly Redeye bass, from the Chattahoochee River drainage)
![— Mountains to Marsh 29 IMG_7278](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/img_7278.jpg)
Micropterus coosae – Redeye(Coosa) bass (Redeye bass from the Coosa River drainage)
![— Mountains to Marsh 30 IMG_5322](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/img_5322.jpg)
Micropterus sp. cf. M. coosae – Bartram’s bass (formerly Redeye bass, from the Savannah River drainage)
![— Mountains to Marsh 31 IMG_7463](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/img_7463.jpg)
Micropterus sp. cf. M. coosae – Altamaha bass (formerly Redeye bass, from the Altamaha River drainage)
![— Mountains to Marsh 32 20180920_104839](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/20180920_104839.jpg)
Micropterus tallapoosae – Tallapoosa bass (formerly Redeye bass, from the Tallapoosa River drainage)
![— Mountains to Marsh 33 IMG_5262](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/img_5262.jpg)
Micropterus warriorensis – Warrior bass (formerly Redeye bass, from the Black Warrior River drainage)
![— Mountains to Marsh 34 107-0759_IMG](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/107-0759_img.jpg)
Smallmouth Bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 35 smallmouth range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/smallmouth_range.jpg)
Micropterus dolomieu dolomieu – (Northern) Smallmouth bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 36 107-0740_IMG](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/107-0740_img.jpg)
Micropterus dolomieu velox – Neosho Smallmouth bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 37 IMG_0759](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/img_0759.jpg)
Micropterus sp. cf. dolomieu velox – Ouachita Smallmouth bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 38 IMG_0644](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/img_0644.jpg)
Largemouth Bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 39 largemouth ranges — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/largemouth_ranges.jpg)
Micropterus salmoides – (Northern) Largemouth bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 40 img_9937](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/img_9937.jpg)
The Other Black Basses
![— Mountains to Marsh 41 blackbass ranges — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/blackbass_ranges.jpg)
Micropterus cataractae – Shoal bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 42 IMG_7497](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/img_7497.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 43 shoalbass](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/shoalbass.gif)
Micropterus treculii – Guadalupe bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 44 IMGP8191](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp8191.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 45 guadalupe_bass_range](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/guadalupe_bass_range.gif)
Micropterus hensalli – Alabama bass (formerly Spotted bass, of the Mobile River drainage)
![— Mountains to Marsh 46 IMGP3996](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp3996.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 47 alabamabass — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/alabamabass.png)
Micropterus punctulatus – Spotted bass (Kentucky)
![— Mountains to Marsh 48 IMGP4903](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp4903.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 49 spottedbass — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/spottedbass.png)
Micropterus haiaka – Choctaw bass
![— Mountains to Marsh 50 img_8660](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/img_86601.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 51 choctaw_bass_map](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/choctaw_bass_map.jpg)
The newest member of the black bass family as discovered by biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Their range falls in between the Alabama bass and the Shoal bass in Gulf draining streams on the Florida panhandle and in Alabama.
Pomoxis – Crappie
Pomoxis annularis – White crappie
![— Mountains to Marsh 52 IMGP3967](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp3967.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 53 white crappie range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/white-crappie-range.gif)
Pomoxis nigromaculatus – Black crappie
![— Mountains to Marsh 54 IMGP5276](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/imgp5276.jpg)
![— Mountains to Marsh 55 black crappie range — Mountains to Marsh](https://mountainstomarsh.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/black-crappie-range.gif)