# catching bass in the bay (saltwater)



## bassn8ed (Jan 1, 2009)

My dad and I went to Mobile bay today. We were bass fishing south of the I-10 bridge ( which is a salt water bay) We caught over 20 bass. But the really strange think was that about 1/2 of them had real red eyes and light green sides. After I got home I looked them up and they are called "redeye bass" mostly stocked in northern Al in small creeks and do not get but about 14 inches. All of ours were over that and caught in salt water. I beleive they follow the shrimp from the rivers to the bay every winter. Does anyone else fish the salty mouth of rivers going into a bay? Have you ever heard of the redeye bass?


----------



## Jim (Jan 1, 2009)

Never have!

Did you happen to take any pictures? Sounds like a great day fishing with your dad.


----------



## Waterwings (Jan 1, 2009)

Here's some info from the Kentucky Fish & Wildlife booklet: Look at pages 7 and 8 (pdf format). It also has pics 8) :

It references Smallmouth and Spotted Bass as being called Redeye Bass:
https://fw.ky.gov/pdf/kyfishid.pdf


----------



## tailgrabber (Jan 1, 2009)

They sound like Rock bass. I fish tidal rivers in NJ and NY. We get a a good striper run in spring, for the spawn but I have also caught small Blue Fish and Smallmouth in the same spot. It's funny to watch a group of mixed fish like that chase a lure in.


----------



## russ010 (Jan 1, 2009)

I've fished lake Lanier once and caught white bass - they have red eyes as well... but, it's fresh water. 

Nice catching!


----------



## Loggerhead Mike (Jan 2, 2009)

we got plenty of red eye bass in the rivers up here. they're a hybrid of rock and white bass i beleave


----------



## mtnman (Jan 2, 2009)

What do they look like ? Does anyone have a pictures and are the good eating?


----------



## slim357 (Jan 2, 2009)




----------



## Loggerhead Mike (Jan 2, 2009)

they seem to have a darker green to them up here too. ive ate um, taste just like any other bass. mmmmm


----------



## tailgrabber (Jan 3, 2009)

mtnman said:


> What do they look like ? Does anyone have a pictures and are the good eating?


 I don't know if you are close to the Deleware River, but you can catch these guys all day on a flyrod with a small popper.


----------



## Captain Ahab (Jan 3, 2009)

tailgrabber said:


> mtnman said:
> 
> 
> > What do they look like ? Does anyone have a pictures and are the good eating?
> ...




Redeye bass is native to only a few rivers in western South Carolina, southwestern North Carolina, and portions of Georgia and Alabama. What we catch in the DE river are Smallmouth Bass, Warmouth and Red Eyed Rock Bass - both readily hit small poppers

Red eye Rock Bass:






Smallmouth Bass






Warmouth (some people call these redeyes)








i am still confused as to what bassn8ed was catching in brackish water - The Alabama Redeye is listing as living in cool mountain streams


----------



## tailgrabber (Jan 3, 2009)

It is winter. Maybe the Alabama Redeye is following a water temp. I caught smallies south of Newburg on the Hudson that is water is brackish.


----------



## redbug (Jan 3, 2009)

who knows what he is catching without any pictures WHO KNOWS...
I catch bass in the upper bay and the lower Delaware in the c&d canal


----------



## tailgrabber (Jan 3, 2009)

I used to fish down that way. There are some good ripps in the salem river that hold some descent stripers. Also huge cats there.


redbug said:


> who knows what he is catching without any pictures WHO KNOWS...
> I catch bass in the upper bay and the lower Delaware in the c&d canal


----------



## Specknreds (Jan 3, 2009)

Like you all said, It's impossible to know for sure without a picture. I live about 80 miles from Mobile
and it's very common to catch bass on one cast and a speckled trout or redfish the next. A red eye 
bass is common in all of our creeks and rivers. I haven't seen to many in brackish water, but I know
largemouths frequent it so I don't see why they wouldn't.


----------



## bassn8ed (Jan 18, 2009)

The picture taken by Slim357 on Jan 02 is exactly what we caught. I have finally bought a digital camera so I promise to take more pictures.


----------

