A ten question Sunfish quiz!

[John Sheehan]

I am ashamed of myself! I scored a pitiful 50%.

http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz.cfm?qid=240931

[John Sikkila]

You did good Bruce!.....Like I know where the Guadalupe River is in texas living in northern Minnesota...lol!....

[Howard Webster]

I scored 7/10 never been to Texas so there went #10 the other two were #5 and#6 great test with a lot of stuff I was not aware of

[Bruce Condello]

I got 10/10

1. One of the most commonly found members of the centrarchid family in the United States, this species is usually stocked as forage for larger fishes in ponds and lakes. It bites readily on live bait such as earthworms or insects and will attack small artificials with vigor. A black spot on the posterior base of both dorsal and anal fins is the best way to identify this species.

Your Answer: bluegill
Bluegill are often the first species caught by children learning to fish. However, catching big "bull" bluegill (those that are over 7" in length and broader than a man's hand) on ultralight tackle can be exciting and challenging even for more experienced anglers.

67% of players have answered correctly. Submit Correction



2. Many do not realize that this species, the largest in the family, is actually a sunfish. It is one of the most sought after game fish in the U.S. and has many colloquial nicknames such as lineside bass and green trout.

Your Answer: largemouth bass
One of the most exciting sights in sport has to be a 4-6 pound largemouth leaping out of the water, angrily trying to toss the hook. The largemouth can be identified from other similar species by the fact that their upper jaws reach far beyond the rear margin of the eye.

60% of players have answered correctly. Submit Correction



3. This is one of the only centrarchids that utilizes snails as a main part of its diet. Which is why in some parts of the U.S., it is called shellcracker. This species is less prone to hit artificials, so the best way to catch them is with live bait fished on the bottom.

Your Answer: redear sunfish
Many times that I thought I had a decent sized bass on the line, it turned out to be a big redear. That's ok by me though, because these are one of the tastiest sunfish around. They are easily identified by the red (male) or yellow (female) rim around the gill flaps.

35% of players have answered correctly. Submit Correction



4. This fish is a tough little fellow that can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions and is often the first sunfish species to repopulate depleted areas. It likes to lurk in the shadows and ambush its prey. It can be identified by its thick, greenish body, large mouth and irregular emerald-blue cheek lines.

Your Answer: green sunfish
This is one of the most widespread of the sunfishes. They tend to have a very basslike body and are sometimes called goggle-eyed bass.

48% of players have answered correctly. Submit Correction



5. This is the most visually stunning of the sunfish family. Adult males usually have turquiose blue bodies and flaming red or orange breasts. Females tend to be less boldly colored. Due to its small size, this fish is often used as bait on trotlines. They can also be identified by their long and flexible gill flaps.

Your Answer: longear sunfish
These little guys are often caught by beginners. Also, due to the fact that they often feed on the surface, they are sometimes pursued by fly fisherman. They tend to inhabit small streams and creeks near vegetation.

29% of players have answered correctly. Submit Correction



6. Often called the yellowbelly sunfish, this centrarchid is native to eastern U.S. streams, but has been widely introduced throughout the nation. It can be definitively identified by its extremely long and narrow gill flap. It is one of the few sunfish that can be commonly caught at night.

Your Answer: redbreast sunfish
They are also called, appropriately enough, robin. There's a little creek not far from my house that seems to have an endless supply of these and they are a worthy opponent for my little 2lb rig. In my opinion they are one of the hardest hitters of all the panfish.

37% of players have answered correctly. Submit Correction



7. This is another brightly colored sunfish. It has an orangish-red breast and belly with a brownish to olive green back and sides. They are speckled with orange, yellow, blue and emerald spots. They can be identified further by a crimson halfmoon on the rear edge of the gill flap.

Your Answer: pumpkinseed
Widespread but more common in the northern and eastern United States. It is thought that the name was derived due to the fish's shape resembling that of a pumpkin seed. Sadly, this is one species that I've never caught.

61% of players have answered correctly. Submit Correction



8. Sometimes called the bronze bass or brownies, this is another popular sport fish in the sunfish family. Some people consider them to be the finest fighters, pound for pound, of any fish. They prefer clear water lakes and cool streams. Specimens weighing up to 12lbs have been caught.

Your Answer: smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass can be identified by the fact that their upper jaw never extends beyond the eye. They also have vertical barring on their sides unlike the lateral stripes found on the sides of the spotted or largemouth bass.

58% of players have answered correctly. Submit Correction



9. This sunfish is also popular with anglers and can often be found in large schools. They have a high reproductive capacity which often leads to overpopulation and stunting in smaller lakes. Although they will bite on nearly any live or artificial bait, minnows are a sure bet for these aggressive feeders.

Your Answer: white crappie
Fisherman who specialize in this species sometimes create artificial habitats with brush or PVC pipe to attract fish to a preferred location.

45% of players have answered correctly. Submit Correction



10. This is the state fish of Texas. Unfortunately, biologists worry that due to hybridization with introduced spotted and smallmouth bass, the pure strain of this species is disappearing. It is found only in Texas and it is named for a river in the central part of the state to which it is endemic.

Your Answer: Guadalupe bass
These fish look very similar to spotted bass but can be distinguished by the fact that the greenish coloration on their backs extends further down the sides. They are almost completely green except for the cream on their bellies.

33% of players have answered correctly. Submit Correction

[Rob Garner]

Cool little quiz I might not have got a 10/10 if not seeing these comments first.

[John Sikkila]

I scored 6 out of 10!....not to bad I guess......lol!... got the bluegill black spot on fin wrong.......hmmmm.....Guadalupe riverwrong....white crappie one wrong...can't remember the others.....

[bluegillboogieman]

I am ashamed of myself too! I guessed on most of them. One I was sure of I got wrong. I feel dumber than a bass is.