We LOVE rock bass! The Neshaminy Creek here in the Philadelphia burbs is loaded with them. After the trout opener, they are usually the first fish we catch in the spring. Aggressive, eager, hard fighting little monsters. And they ALWAYS run in schools -- when you catch one, you're gonna catch another.

There's only one downside (aside from the whole culinary thing but since I've never cooked one I can't speak from experience) -- they've spoiled my kids. If they don't have something on the line after three casts, the chorus of "Daaaaaaad, this spot stinks" begins. Oh well. I suppose there are worse problems to have. -Bob

Bob,
You and I are in the same area, but I never seem to run into schools. The Neshaminy, eh?

Rock Bass are a blast to catch, and yes they are good eating, all panfish are good eating.
They are a great way to hook kids on fishing. They are also eager to attack your hook, whats not to like about that.
5' rod, 4lb test line and an in-line spinner, good times!!
Like jcarlin stated above, they do not come in a bragging size, but they do come in numbers. If you can't get anything else to bite, why not catch some red eye smallies!

When I was a kid we targeted rock bass in the creeks in southwestern Ohio. Last one I caught was while spin fishing a small warm water creek in Michigan. Great fighters but slimy little buggers.

You betcha!! Give me a bucket of minnows, crayfish, and helgramites, a pair of worn out sneakers and shorts to match, an ultra-light spinning rig, and a select group of family and loved ones of the Greenbrier River, and I'm good to go. The results will get a coating of corn meal in a skillet of melted lard with a side of slaw. I'm pretty sure Heaven has a river in it.

jcarlin -- my buddy and I throw the canoe in painfully early on summer mornings, paddle up to the lower edge of Playwicki Park and drift back down to home. Most of what we catch are rockbass, along with a smattering of bluegills, crappies, largemouths, smallmouths and the very occasional white perch. Our best morning so far (all catch and release, of course) has been 96 John, 95 me. And he never lets me forget it.

I like others, don't target them but I enjoy catching them. They are fun to catch when I'm out on the ice for crappie.

I LOVE rock bass. your right its like they try to bake your bust into a million pieces. on a youth float trip on the lower illinois river in Ok, i found a school of them and some were at least 1 1/2 pounds.

I fish the NYC water shed - Cross River NY - we catch a lot of fish - bass - trout - BIG white perch and just abut anything else! As great as the fishing is - we always look forward to catching a ROCKY - There is just something about them - perhaps at first hook set you think its a bass - they fight like hell and can get to be pretty good size. and to be honest there have times when ROCKY'S have save my time on the water. Hey they are great on a fly rod TOO - look for some rocks and throw a popper - you just got to love em!!!!!!!!!

I catch a ton of rock bass in the creeks that run into the Elk River. I really enjoy fly fishing for them. I put a popper on top then a Bett's Bee under that. They usually hit the bee so the popper is pretty much a strike indicator

I have only ever caught one and did not know what it was. They are called warmouth perch around here. I actually posted a pic when I first opened my account with f&s. Lots of fun.

I like them better than sunnys , they fight harder and are easyer to unhook because of their bigmouths.

rock bass, are very common up north where I do a lot of fishing in the summer and in my mind put up a way better fight then many other fish it's size.

Love to catch redeyes. They're the most-fun small fish. Recently hooked a couple while fishing for smallies in the Nolichuckey River. Reminds me of when my dad took me fishing when I was 8 or 9. We'd catch tons of redeye.

Rock Bass are Lake lunkers in Keuka Lake NY
Record fish lost
I was fishing last night, Nov 3 09, off a dock at the north west end of Keuka Lake. Slight rain/snow flake mix with 14 mph wind. Quite a few smaller fish were striking with some modest fish. The water was so clear in this pristine setting that fish spook from any tackle. With one small hook buried in the center of a small worm with most dangling free I caught a Huge Rock Bass at about 930 pm. The worm was gulped and buried deep so it was slow to get out. I had only a few seconds to decide to release or eat. I decided to let nature decide as I dropped it back in and if it died I would take it home for dinner if it lived I would try to catch it again on another day. It opened its mouth, gulped a huge gush of water firing it through its gills like a jet sky and was gone. Now I look on Page 58 in the NYS fishing guide I find that 1 pound 15 oz was the record for New York, I estimate this would weigh more than that after it was cleaned. I would have liked to give it to the DEC to put in the Aquarium at the State Fair each year. I eat a lot of fish but some need to be shared with kids and fishermen then released before they move along the food chain. I like Rock Bass (Red Eyes).

Paul Forrest

i love fishing for rock bass...the biggest ive seen while snorkeling was the size of my hand