|
The Guadalupe BassThe Guadalupe bass is part of the black bass family and a member of the larger sunfish family like all of its cousins. This fish was named the official state fish of Texas in 1989. The Guadalupe is unique in that it is only found in Texas. Although the Guadalupe is mainly found in several rivers on Edwards Plateau it is a highly sought after game fish. It has been become known as the Texas Trout by light tackle users and fly fishermen due to its fighting ability when hooked.
DescriptionThe Guadalupe bass, like all the other members of the black bass family is not really a true bass at all but a member of the sunfish family. The Guadalupe bass is mostly green in color and may be distinguished from similar species found in Texas in that it doesn't have vertical bars like smallmouth bass, its jaw doesn't extend beyond the eyes as in largemouth bass, and coloration extends much lower on the body than in spotted bass. The fish species is generally small. It grows to only about twelve inches and weighs in at roughly one pound when fully grown. It will live to be about seven years old.
HabitatThe Guadalupe is mainly found in moving water. They are a river/stream fish and prefer a current. Like most bass, the male Guadalupe will build their spawning beds on small rocks or gravel areas. These fish will become mature at about one year old and will begin spawning soon after. The spawning period for them begins in March and can continue through June depending on the water conditions. They do prefer to spawn in gravel areas in or very near to shallow water and tend to build the beds in faster moving water then any other bass. Once the male has lured a female to the nest, the female will lay anywhere from 400 eggs on the low side to over 9000 eggs on the high side. The male will then chase the female from the area and guard the eggs through incubation. Once hatched, the fry will feed on small insects and invertebrates until they mature. Once a fish has matured, they will begin to include smaller fish in their diet. Then when a fish becomes aged and towards the end of their lifecycle, they will revert back to smaller insects and the invertebrates again. HistoryLike stated above, the Guadalupe bass is found only in Texas and has been named the official state fish. It is confined to the north and east Edwards Plateau including parts of the San Antonio River. The Guadalupe River above Gonzales, the Colorado River north of Austin, and portions of the Brazos River drainage also contain populations of the Guadalupe. There are other parts of the lower Colorado River that also contain small populations. Stocking has also been introduced in the Nueces River system and has been mildly successful.
Other NamesThe Guadalupe Bass has also been known as a Black bass, The Guadalupe spotted bass or the Texas Trout.
This is a very unique fish and should be treated with the respect that you would give any and all other fish species. They are a resource and catch and release should be a priority when you target them. Let them grow for another fight on a different day and they will continue to grow in popularity. One more cast…
|
