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State Fish Of Texas

Guadalupe Bass Is The Official State Fish Of Texas. Texas Adopted the Guadalupe bass as the official state fish in 1989. Texas also officially adopted the State Saltwater fish in 2011. The Texas State-Fish Guadalupe bass is found only in Texas, native to fast-moving streams in the central Hill Country including the headwaters of the San Antonio, Guadalupe, and Colorado Rivers. 

 

Characteristics of the Guadelupe Bass

The National Fish Of Texas Guadalupe bass, like other “black bass” including largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass, is not a true bass at all but a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae. An adult has an average weight of one pound and a length of about 12 inches. The Texas State-Fish Guadalupe bass is green in color, ranging from lime to olive, has black or olive green spots, and can be difficult to distinguish from the smallmouth bass and spotted bass. The species of Guadelupe Bass are categorized as “Near Threatened.” 

Length: Up to 12 inches

Weight: Up to 1 pound

Life span: Up to 7 years

 

Other names

Black bass, Guadalupe spotted bass

Biology

Both males and females Guadalupe spotted bass become sexually mature when they are one year old. State Fish Of Texas Guadalupe bass spawning begins as early as March and continues through May and June. A secondary spawn is possible in late summer or early fall. Like all other black basses, Guadalupe bass builds gravel nests for spawning, preferably in shallow water.

Distribution

The State Fish Guadalupe bass is found only in Texas and has been named the official state fish. National Fish Of Texas is endemic to the northern and eastern Edwards Plateau including headwaters of the San Antonio River, the Guadalupe River above Gonzales, the Colorado River north of Austin, and portions of the Brazos River drainage.

 

Texas Saltwater Fish: Red Drum

Also referred to as channel bass, puppy drum, redfish, spotted bass, or simply read, the red drum is a game fish that inhabits the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Massachusetts south to Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico, from Florida to northern Mexico, which includes Texas. An adult red drum can weigh between six and eight pounds. The upper tail of the red drum features a distinguishing black spot. Scientists suspect the spot helps fool predators from attacking the tail of the fish instead of its head.

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