***DISCLAIMER*** If you know any of these spots, keep in mind that I didn't name them for a reason. Please be respectful and keep these location names off of the interwebs for all to see.


The last six months have been a little hectic. I got the bright idea at age 34 (with a wife and baby) to quit my job and go back to school. After writing my book it changed my whole outlook on conservation and endemic populations of fish and decided if I really cared I would take my own advice and do something about it. Luckily my wife was on board and it has been a good move, but that doesn’t mean it’s always been easy. It’s been a while since I finished graduate school around eight years ago, so getting back into the swing of tests, classes, etc. have been fun, but challenging.

I have been anxiously awaiting spring so that I could go after my favorite fish. The redeye bass is one of many endemic black bass species. Most people think that there are only smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and spotted bass. There are actually around 19 recognized or proposed black bass species. Advances in genetics have been the main catalyst in this explosion of species descriptions, and I suppose I am contributing to that in some ways. Redeye bass alone have been split into around seven different species, and my main project will revolve around learning more about them.

Once the water warmed up a little, it was time to begin fishing, I mean sampling. Sampling is done via hook and line for the first part of my overall project, and although fun, it has its own challenges. My first stop was back in March, when the waters were just starting to wake up. This trip was just a quickie on a lunch break to scratch the itch.




About a month later I moved on to one of my favorite small streams with high hopes. Although the fishing can be extremely technical, the beauty of the water is usually worth the price of admission.



Hard to believe that this is bass water, it resembles a trout stream more than anything else and appears to be transplanted from a high mountain anywhere other than Alabama. However, one quick drift across its surface with a popper and you’ll quickly realize there are no finicky trout here. It’s full of the pretty boy of the bass world, the redeye bass.



The stream was full of mountain laurel beginning to bloom.