Smallmouth Bass & Shoal Bass- Collision Course?
Battleground Georgia
One of the Black Species that has gotten a little bit more attention in the last few years in the biological community is the Shoal Bass. Shoal Bass may go by a few different names depending upon where you find them or who you talk to. Often times they are referred to as Flint Smallmouth or Chipola Redeye. Many have claimed Shoal Bass are equally as aggressive as Smallmouth Bass and much of the time prefer the similar kind of river conditions.
6 of the 7 members of Black Bass family call Georgia home but the Shoal Bass may still be little known to many. Only the Guadalupe Bass from Texas is the lone Black Bass missing from the waters of Georgia. Like other Black Bass the Shoal Bass will spawn in April but can run its spawn all the way to June in many cases and will mature in three years and males prefer to build nests in the gravel areas of the river composition. It is not uncommon for a female to drop 10,000 or more eggs on one nest.
Many anglers are unaware of the Shoal Bass outside its native range in large part because the range is much smaller than either the Smallmouth or the Largemouth and to be honest have not really be promoted on equal footing as a sport fish like the former. They also contend within their own range with bass like the Suwannee Bass which also inhabits southern Georgia but the Shoal bass range also includes more Georgia, Alabama and north western Florida.
Many time anglers catch a Shoal bass thinking it is a Smallmouth especially if visiting the range of Shoal bass for the first time. The easiest way to determine a Shoal bass from a Smallmouth is often times the dark black spot at base of the tail that can many times be very pronounced and the three distinct lines present coming from the head area towards the gill plate. The Shoalies eye (almost ovesized) is also move backward setting on the plate than other black bass with more structure in front in the mouth/jaw area coupled with a absence of the teeth on tongue.
Up until about 1999-2000 the Shoal Bass was almost always most commonly referred to as the Redeye.
Smallmouth Bass and Shoal Bass are two distinct species of bass found in North America, each with its own characteristics and distribution with quite a few similarities.
Species and Taxonomy:
Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu):
Belongs to the sunfish family Centrarchidae.
Native to North America.— wider ranges
Often identified by its bronze to brown coloration with vertical stripes on its sides.
Shoal Bass (Micropterus cataractae):
Also a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae.
Native to the southeastern United States only. (AL,GA,FL)
Exhibits a more vivid color pattern, with distinct vertical bars on its sides.
Native Range:
Smallmouth Bass:
Originally found in the upper and middle Mississippi River basin, the Great Lakes, and parts of the eastern United States now home in both rivers and lakes especially in the Northeast.
Has been introduced to various waters outside its native range for recreational fishing.
Shoal Bass:
Endemic to the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River system in the southeastern United States, particularly Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.
Has not actively been introduced in other river systems but is not present in Central Georgia in the Altamaha River drainage.
Preferred Habitats:
Smallmouth Bass:
Prefers clear, cool, and rocky streams and rivers.
Thrives in areas with submerged rocks, gravel, and other structures.
Can also be found in lakes with similar conditions but has adopted in the Northeast to deeper water lakes.
Shoal Bass:
Inhabits rivers and streams with clear, swift-flowing water.
Often found in rocky or sandy areas with submerged structures.
Prefers areas with strong thin current and shoals, as the name suggests thriving in quick moving water hence long lean profile of the bass often times to its Smallmouth counterparts further North.
Shoal Bass cannot seem to survive in stagnant water typical of lakes or deeper water reservoirs
Environmental Conditions:
Smallmouth Bass:
Tolerates cooler water temperatures compared to other bass species.
Prefers water temperatures ranging from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Shoal Bass:
Has a preference for warmer water temperatures even in current compared to Smallmouth Bass.
Typically found in waters with temperatures ranging from 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thrive shallow where ever there is active current flow or spring fed , creek fed river conditions.
Growth Rates:
Smallmouth Bass:
Growth rates can vary based on factors such as food availability, habitat quality, and water temperature.
Under optimal conditions, smallmouth bass can grow relatively fast, reaching maturity in a few years.
Smallmouth may be leaner and longer in the Mid Atlantic Range in river systems like the New River, Shenandoah and James but also in places like the Pennsylvania especially North Branch Susquehanna compared to other rivers in the region and especially Northeast where Smallmouth tend to not be as long but are much more fatter or heartier.
Shoal Bass:
Growth rates can also vary but are influenced by similar factors.
Like Smallmouth bass, shoal bass can exhibit good growth rates under favorable conditions and not uncommon to reach significant size faster than many Smallmouth.
While both Smallmouth Bass and Shoal Bass belong to the sunfish family and share some similarities, they are distinct species with differences in their native ranges, preferred habitats, and often times environmental preferences which influence things like spawn and transitions throughout the seasons.
Here are some key aspects of the genetic nature and native range of the Shoal Bass:
Genetic Characteristics:
Species Identification:
The Shoal Bass is a distinct species within the black bass genus Micropterus as stated and is said to be more closely related to Spotted bass than Smallmouth or Largemouth.
It has specific genetic markers that differentiate it from other black bass species, such as Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) and Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu).
Hybridization:
Hybridization with other bass species, particularly the Largemouth Bass, can occur in some areas where their ranges overlap.
Hybridization can lead to genetic introgression, which may pose challenges for the conservation of pure Shoal Bass populations in the future as ranges may expand.
Native Range:
Geographical Distribution:
The native range of the Shoal Bass is primarily centered around the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River system in the southeastern United States.
This river system includes parts of Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.
Habitat Preferences:
Shoal Bass are typically associated with clear, swift-flowing streams and rivers.
They inhabit areas with rocky or sandy substrate, often near shoals or riffles, which are shallow, fast-flowing sections of rivers.
Conservation Importance:
The Shoal Bass is considered a species of conservation concern due to factors such as habitat alteration, water quality degradation, and potential hybridization with other bass species.
Efforts are made to conserve and manage populations to maintain the genetic integrity of pure Shoal Bass.
Conservation Efforts:
Population Monitoring:
Biologists and conservationists monitor Shoal Bass populations to assess their health, distribution, and potential threats.
Habitat Restoration:
Habitat restoration projects aim to improve the quality of the rivers and streams that Shoal Bass inhabit. This includes efforts to preserve or enhance natural features like shoals and riffles.
Genetic Studies:
Genetic studies are conducted to understand the population structure, genetic diversity, and potential hybridization with other bass species.
This information helps guide conservation strategies to maintain the genetic integrity of the Shoal Bass where said may have hybridize in Largemouth and Smallmouth
Prevention of break in genetic integrity that has resulted via other species like Alabama Bass and its introduction to no native areas is critical to maintain the Shoal Bass identity.
To summarize these points, the genetic nature of the Shoal Bass is characterized by its distinct species identity within the black bass genus Micropterus. Its native range in the southeastern United States, particularly in the ACF River system, is crucial for its conservation, and efforts are underway to monitor and protect the species and its habitat.
The attraction of Shoal Bass by Smallmouth anglers stems from the fight that Shoal Bass have been known to provide anglers and the fact they are primarily a river bass but not always. Targeting them many find is more similar to fishing for Smallies especially in terms of bait presentations from moving baits and finesse tactics. (Pic: mountainstomarsh)
Chattahoochee River Shoal Bass reportedly now are also hybridizing with Smallmouth and locals have come to call these fish “smoalies”. Biologist have confirmed this through some of the surveys and genetic testing done in parts of Georgia where not only Smallmouth but Spots and Alabama Bass codes have been found present in the dna testing.
Some of the best Shoal Bass fishing is on the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers as well as the Ocmulgee as Shoal Bass dart from eddies to seams in the current along the “shoals” rapids or riffles of the rivers. Many of the older haunts on rivers were long ago mitigated by the construction of dams along the Georgia and Alabama border that used to be prime Shoal roaming areas but today the Shoal Bass are in more confined areas of the range and many believe that Flint is the prime river for them now.
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