Today I caught this very cool fish. A Rock Bass can change from light to dark colored (and back again) very quickly to blend in with their surroundings. It has a very large mouth and red eyes. Rock Bass have a dark “teardrop” under each eye.
As their names implies, Rock Bass prefer clear streams and rivers with a rocky bottom. They often hide near large boulders, rock piles, or tree roots.
Male Rock Bass build nests in gravel, often next to a large boulder. Females then deposit up to 10,000 eggs in a nest, often with more than one female using the same nest. Males remain over the nest to fan the eggs and maintain water flow over the eggs until they hatch in three to four days.
Rock Bass do not get as large as other Ohio bass, they are usually 8 or 9 inches.