Florida’s Shoal Bass & Suwannee Bass – Just Where Did These “Smallmouth” Come From?

[Ocklawahaman]

YES, "Ocklawahaman" was a proud "Okie" with an Oklahoma resident fishing license for a couple of years "back then" (even though I had a Florida driver license) all thanks to the "Be All That You Can Be" U.S. Army. There were some scenic, productive Oklahoma waters that ranked with some of the finest bass or cold-water trout streams that I have ever experienced in Florida or the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Excerpted from my copy of "Outdoor Oklahoma" (MARCH/APRIL 1993 edition) official magazine of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation:
"...In an effort to learn more about smallmouth bass, angler use, and economic importance, the Department is funding a study through the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Oklahoma State University. One study being conducted will survey populations in Ozark streams to determine if a pure population of Neosho strain smallmouth still exists. Biologists suspect this strain occurs in the northeast due to the fact that Ozark smallmouth populations often consist of small, slower growing fish, which is characteristic of the Neosho strain. Ouachita stream smallmouth tend to be fewer in number than northeastern populations, but are larger-growing. If a pure population of the Neosho smallmouth does exist, fisheries biologists want to avoid contaminating the gene pool. No one is quite sure of its importance yet, however, introducing a new subspecies in the northeast could disrupt the food web in this delicate ecosystem. Biologists hope the study will shed some light on this subspecies as well as help them determine suitable management techniques. Yet another subspecies of smallmouth--a reservoir strain originating from the Cumberland River system in Tennessee--is being stocked into Oklahoma lakes and creeks without existing smallmouth populations... "

I haven't had a chance to read if the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has updated the preceding smallmouth bass data since 1993--so I am quite willing to believe that ODWC may have issued some newer information about the status of the Neosho, Ouachita, Northern?, and whatever? other forms of smallmouth bass there are that reside inside the State of Oklahoma.

Sincerely,
"Ocklawahaman"

[Ocklawahaman]

Back on December 21, 2010 I posted the following excerpts as additional information related to my article “Florida’s Shoal Bass & Suwannee Bass—Just Where Did They Come from?”

http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/facts...?SpeciesID=397
“…This species was formerly composed of three subspecies: the northern spotted bass - M. p. punctulatus, the Alabama spotted bass - M. p. henshalli and the Wichita spotted bass - M. p. wichitae. Cofer (1995) determined the Wichita subspecies was actually a hybrid with M. dolomieu and is therefore invalid…”

http://www.in-fisherman.com/content/spotted-bass
“…A third putative subspecies, the Wichita spotted bass, is now considered a hybrid between the spotted and the smallmouth bass…”

NOW let me add more to my WICHITA SPOTTED BASS information…

Excerpted from “FISH POPULATION STUDY OF WEST CACHE CREEK WITH EMPHASIS ON SEARCH FOR THE WICHITA SPOTTED BASS, MICROPTERUS PUNCTULATUS WICHITAE” (1979) by Kenneth D. Cook, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Southwest Regional Fisheries, Star Route, Box 66E, Lawton, Oklahoma 73501.
http://digital.library.okstate.edu/o...f/v59/p1_3.pdf
“…The Wichita spotted bass, Micropterus punctulatus wichitae Hubbs and Baily, was first reported as M. pseudaplites by Hubbs and Ortenburger (1) in 1929 from collections made by A. I. Ortenburger from West Cache Creek and its tributary Blue Beaver Creek in 1923, 1927, and 1928. A total of 442 specimens are preserved in the National Museum and the University of Oklahoma Museum of Zoology. One specimen collected by W. D. Dean in 1906 is preserved at the National Museum at the University of Michigan. These specimens were examined by Hubbs and Baily in 1940 and reclassified as M. punctulatus wichitae (1). The last collection (2 specimens) determined to be M. p. wichitae was made in 1928 by the Oklahoma Biological Survey from Blue Beaver Creek, a tributary of West Cache Creek…”

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For more than 7 decades during the 20th Century the "WICHITA SPOTTED BASS" was arguably the rarest known form of black bass (family Centrarchidae, genus Micropterus species) in the world. 445 specimens had been collected between 1906 and 1928 from their "native" West Cache Creek, Oklahoma stream basin--but none since that later year. Dams had been built across that creek in several areas since then for lake recreation and to ensure drinking water sources for a federal wildlife refuge's hoofed animal population. Was an "endemic" riverine bass extirpated because too much of its free-flowing stream environment was converted into a lacustrine one that restricted its ability to migrate for survival during southwest Oklahoma's severe droughts? "Ocklawahaman", obeying orders from "Uncle Sam", was in the "right place" to conduct an independent investigation "back then" of the status of the "WICHITA SPOTTED BASS". The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (Lawton office) provided information "back then" about the most promising segments to search for specimens--along with their belief "that the Wichita spotted bass no longer exists in West Cache Creek". They would have wanted to know if I was able to collect any specimens "back then" of this presumed extinct black bass variety called the "WICHITA SPOTTED BASS".

"BACK THEN", many years prior to the Cofer 1995 report but several years after the Cook 1979 ODWC paper, is when "Ocklawahaman" performed his own independent in-the-field research to attempt to locate any possible extant WICHITA SPOTTED BASS!

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I find it interesting that Bailey and Hubbs identified all three of these black bass forms: Wichita spotted bass, Redeye bass, and Suwannee bass. Maybe male and female black bass of different varieties can't be trusted to live together in the same stream systems? Ha! Ha! Sometimes they cross-breed!

My upcoming Riverbassin article entitled "OK Memories Of My Quest For The Wichita Spotted Bass" is close to being a "wrap" and maybe will be posted within 2 weeks or so! It should be of interest to Oklahoma stream anglers and all who did a "tour" or "TDY" at Fort Sill in southwestern OK. "Grand-Slam" bassers may find it interesting also!

Enjoy,
"Ocklawahaman"

[Ocklawahaman]

Back on 12/27/2010, I posted historical information from the immortal treatise “Book Of The Black Bass” by James Alexander Henshall (last printing that I could find was 1917).

One excerpt that I posted was “…There are several rivers in Hernando County, on the Gulf coast of Florida, that burst out from the base of a sandy ridge running parallel with the coast, and some twelve miles from it, whose sources are large springs, fifty or sixty feet deep, and of half an acre in extent. Their waters are remarkably clear and cool, with a strong current until tide-water is reached; and I have no doubt but the small-mouth bass would thrive wonderfully well in the upper portions of the streams if introduced into them, as the conditions all seem favorable, and the large-mouth bass is abundant in them...”

The Hernando County mention bothered me a little because only the Weeki Wachee River is presently in Hernando County, Florida. Henshall described “several rivers”, which to me would also maybe include these Citrus County, Florida SPRING rivers: Chassahowitzka, Homosassa (with the Halls), Crystal, and even possibly on its north border the Withlacoochee (South) fed by Rainbow Springs before the useless dam was placed across it (blocking upstream fish migration from tidewater parts). So I investigated Florida history and found that Citrus County was formed out of part of Hernando County in 1887 after Henshall started writing his book. All 5 or 6 of those rivers were located in or along Hernando County prior to 1887! Henshall got it right!

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Excerpted from the "FLORIDA ALMANAC 1988-89" (1988) edited by Del Marth and Martha J. Marth:
"...Florida's Black Bass are the largest in the world. Four varieties are recognized: largemouth, Suwannee, spotted and smallmouth. Average weight of the largemouth bass is four pounds, although catches of 12 to 14 pounds are not rare...Despite repeated stocking, Florida has never successfully cultivated the smallmouth bass. In North America the average weight is two pounds. Florida's unofficial record of 14 pounds exceeds the official records established in smallmouth states..."

"Ocklawahaman" Note: No mention of shoal (or redeye) bass in this almanac.
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"FLORIDA RIVERS ASSESSMENT" (1989) by the "Florida Department of Natural Resources", in its reports of 50 Florida rivers, listed that the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission had records of the existence of shoal bass from the Apalachicola River and the Chipola River (no surprise that those two rivers have shoal bass). The "FLORIDA RIVERS ASSESSMENT" (1989) also states that the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission had records of Suwannee bass from all these rivers: Aucilla, Econfina, Ochlockonee, St. Marks, Santa Fe, Steinhatchee, Suwannee, Waccasassa, Withlacoochee (North), and Withlacoochee (South). The real Suwannee bass listing surprises here are the Econfina, Steinhatchee, Waccasassa, and (South) Withlacoochee rivers. Other lesser mysteries would be that the Aucilla is listed but not its tributary Wacissa River and that the St. Marks is listed but not its tributary Wakulla River. The (North) Withlacoochee and the Santa Fe are both tributaries of the Suwannee River, so no mystery in those two streams that Suwannee bass would be present. Of course, that the Ochlockonee River contains Suwannee bass is no revelation!

Sincerely,
"Ocklawahaman"

[Ocklawahaman]

The latest from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) about Florida's "Smallmouth" Black Bass including hybridization. All in ITALICS is excerpted from these current FWC webpages...

http://myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/black-bass/

http://myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/.../bass-biology/

Described by Bailey and Hubbs (1949), Suwannee bass might be the most geographically and ecologically restricted species of all the black basses (Ramsey 1975; Koppelman and Garret 2002). They are endemic to north Florida and south Georgia. Suwannee bass inhabit the lower and middle reaches of the Suwannee River, its tributaries, and the Withlacoochee River (Bass and Hitt 1973, Bonvechio et al. 2005). Suwannee bass were first reported in the Ochlocknee River in the 1960s and 1970s (Hellier 1967; Keefer and Ober 1977). Suwannee bass have also been collected from the St. Marks and Wacissa rivers since the 1990s (Hoehn 1998). Biologists have speculated that these latter populations may have originated from unauthorized releases (Cailteux et al. 2002). In fall 2009, they were collected by biologists in the Upper Suwannee River and the Alapaha River. There are no known references from Okefenokee Swamp (Pers. Comm. Will Strong, FWC). Due to this limited range, as well as an intolerance of poor water quality, they are considered to be a species requiring special attention.

Suwannee bass are the most colorful of the black basses occurring in Florida and may have dark, diamond-shaped blotches along bronze-colored sides; turquoise-blue coloring on the underside of the head and throat; and eyes may be red. Suwannee bass are strictly stream dwellers, and prefer rocky bottoms with moderate to swift flows. They also have an affinity for brush piles that may provide foraging cover and protection. Crayfish are their most important food source, but their diet also includes fish and freshwater shrimp; in tidal areas, they even eat crabs. Despite their small size, "Suwannees" provide excellent sport on light tackle, with periods of low water the best time to fish. The state record and all-tackle world record Suwannee bass weighed 3.89 pounds and was caught in 1985 from the Florida river after which it was named.

In Florida, spotted bass inhabit large creeks and river systems in the Panhandle, from the Apalachicola River system west to the Perdido River. Records suggest that spotted bass were stocked into the Flint River in Georgia and later migrated downstream into the Apalachicola River. The FWC has initiated a genetics study to determine whether all of the spotted bass inhabiting Panhandle streams are spotted bass or whether there might be more than one species present in the state. This research has determined that there are two distinct forms of spotted bass in Florida; spotted bass are only present in the Apalachicola River drainage but a second species inhabits the Apalachicola River system and the streams to the west. This appears to be the species of spotted bass that is native to Florida, and it has not yet been described by scientists. Scientists have proposed calling this species the coastal spotted bass (Micropterus sp. cf. punctulatus).

Recent surveys by FWC biologists determined that spotted bass have migrated into the Chipola River, a tributary of the Apalachicola River, and raised concern that this invasive species might be hybridizing with native shoal bass. FWC researchers are using genetics to determine whether fish captured in the Chipola River were shoal bass, spotted bass or hybrids of two species. To date, nearly 10 percent of the fish have been found to be hybrids of shoal bass and spotted bass, or shoal bass and largemouth bass. Biologists will continue to collect samples so that the FWC can monitor whether the number of hybrids is increasing, decreasing or staying the same through time.

There is very little information on the biology of spotted bass populations in Florida or how many anglers are interested in catching them. It is known that spotted bass prefer a stream environment that has moderate to swift flow, gravel bottoms and both deep pools and areas of cover provided by snags and brush. Like Florida's other stream-dwelling basses, spotted bass diets include crayfish and fish, but insects are important as well. Spotted bass are not well known to anglers and do not grow as large as largemouth bass. However, they aggressively attack both natural and artificial baits presented along deep stream bends and fallen trees. The State Record spotted bass weighed 3.75 pounds and was landed in the Apalachicola River in 1985. The All Tackle World Record spotted bass was 10.25 pounds.

Almost 200 years after the largemouth bass was scientifically described, the shoal bass achieved official status as a separate black bass species in 1999 (Williams and Burgess 1999). Very little information exists on the biology of this newly recognized species. Shoal bass are endemic to the Apalachicola drainage basin, including the Chattahoochee and Flint river systems in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. In Florida, the majority of shoal bass are found in the upper Chipola River. Shoal bass have also been found below the Jim Woodruff Dam in the Apalachicola River (Wheeler and Allen 2003). Shoal bass are thought to be declining in abundance in many localities within their native range (Williams and Burgess 1999; Wheeler and Allen 2003; Boschung and Mayden 2004).

Shoal bass are habitat specialists. They are frequently found in shallow, rocky riffles and shoals in medium- to large-size streams and rivers, and shoal bass are intolerant of reservoir conditions (Wheeler and Allen 2003; Boschung and Mayden 2004). This species has been assigned a status of "Special Concern" by the Endangered Species Committee of the American Fisheries Society (Williams et al. 1989), mainly because of habitat loss and associated distributional declines. In Florida, shoal bass are not officially listed, but their need for special attention is well recognized. Further hybridization with spotted bass, which was documented in 2009 by FWC biologists (Porak et al. 2009), could lead to elimination of "pure" shoal bass. The FWC is studying shoal bass in the Chipola River to gain a better understanding of harvest and population dynamics, and the genetic structure of this species. Shoal bass should not be confused with the redeye bass (M. coosae) or the smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu), neither of which reside in Florida. Shoal bass are distinctively marked on their sides with a pattern of vertical bars resembling tiger stripes. Their primary food is crayfish, fish and insects. Fishing over and near rocky shoals with artificial lures that resemble these prey can provide excellent sport. No state record exists in Florida; however, current state and world record "redeye bass" from the Apalachicola River weighing 7.83 and 8.75 pounds, respectively, are likely misidentified shoal bass.

http://myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/...ement-actions/

More than half of the recognized black bass species (Micropterus) are present in Florida Panhandle streams, including the two species with the most restricted ranges, i.e., shoal bass (M. cataractae) and Suwannee bass (M. notius). Although habitat degradation is the most serious threat to panhandle bass populations, there is potential for interspecific hybridization to pose a more immediate threat in some cases. In other states, introductions of non-native species have led to introgressive hybridization and genetic swamping of populations of endemic species. Of all the black bass species, spotted bass appear to be the most opportunistic and hybridization has occurred between redeye X spotted bass (Barwick et al. 2006), largemouth X spotted bass (Godbout et al. 2009) and smallmouth X spotted bass (Pierce and Van Den Avyle 1997; Koppelman 1994). Recently in Florida, shoal bass X spotted bass hybrids were discovered in the Chipola River (Porak and Tringali 2009). The FWC has implemented a genetic study to help conserve native black bass species by (1) determining which species are present in panhandle streams and (2) monitoring populations for evidence of hybridization between species. Thus far, these investigations have uncovered two genetically distinct forms of spotted bass (M. punctulatus and M. sp. cf. punctulatus) in panhandle streams, one of which was previously unrecognized and has yet to be described (M. sp. cf. punctulatus). Members of this provisional taxon appear to be more closely related to Guadalupe bass (M. treculi) than northern spotted bass (M. punctulatus) and may be native inhabitants of western panhandle coastal lotic systems. Genetic studies have also documented that Chipola River shoal bass are hybridizing with M. sp. cf. punctulatus, M. punctulatus; and M. salmoides. During the course of three sampling years, nearly 10 percent of the presumptive shoal bass collected from the Chipola River were hybrids. To determine whether the genetic integrity of this important population of shoal bass is threatened by introgression, genetic samples must continue to be collected at regular intervals and additional work needs to be devoted to identifying factors that are responsible for hybridization. This includes gathering information on previously unrecognized forms of spotted bass, M. sp. cf. punctulatus.

[Ocklawahaman]

1991 Shoal Bass - Chipola River FL.jpg1992 Shoal Bass - Chipola River FL.jpg

Here is some of the latest about cross-breeding by largemouth, shoal, and some form of spotted/Alabama black bass in the Chipola River from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC):
http://www.myfwc.com/fishing/freshwa.../bass-biology/

"Recent surveys by FWC biologists determined that spotted bass have migrated into the Chipola River, a tributary of the Apalachicola River, and raised concern that this invasive species might be hybridizing with native shoal bass. FWC researchers are using genetics to determine whether fish captured in the Chipola River were shoal bass, spotted bass or hybrids of two species. To date, nearly 10 percent of the fish have been found to be hybrids of shoal bass and spotted bass, or shoal bass and largemouth bass. Biologists will continue to collect samples so that the FWC can monitor whether the number of hybrids is increasing, decreasing or staying the same through time."

There is much more information about all of Florida's varieties of black bass in the "Black Bass Management Plan" of FWC
http://www.myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/black-bass/

"Florida’s Shoal Bass & Suwannee Bass – Just Where Did These 'Smallmouth' Come From?"
Simple question but the answer may be “as clear as mud”!

[Ocklawahaman]

2013 BLACK BASS NEWS: ANOTHER FLORIDA "SMALLMOUTH" BASS DISCOVERED!!!

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recently reported the discovery of a new species of riverine black bass--to be known as the CHOCTAW BASS--that exists in the Florida panhandle and adjacent southeastern states. It is very similar to the SPOTTED or ALABAMA bass.

http://myfwc.com/news/news-releases/.../choctaw-bass/
http://myfwc.com/research/freshwater.../choctaw-bass/

09 May 2013
"Ocklawahaman"