Rock Bass Species Breakdown
Scientific Name: Ambloplites Rupestris
Also Known As: rock perch, goggle-eye, red eye, black perch, and rock sunfish
Rock bass are a freshwater fish in the sunfish family and not actually a bass at all. They are carnivores that eat insects, insect larvae, crustaceans, smaller fish, crayfish, and minnows.
How to Identify a Rock Bass
The rock bass is a small dark green to brown fish with brassy, green-yellow sides and a light colored belly. They have a large mouth and red eyes and have the ability to change colors to match their surroundings.
Rock Bass Size
Rock bass can grow up to 17 inches long and weigh up to 3 lbs 10 oz. They average 5 – 8 inches long and weigh about 1 lb.
Rock Bass Size Chart – Length to Weight Conversion
| Length | 0 | 1/8″ | 1/4″ | 3/8″ | 1/2″ | 5/8″ | 3/4″ | 7/8″ |
| 3″ | .26 oz | .29 oz | .35 oz | .39 oz | .43 oz | .54 oz | .54 oz | .60 oz |
| 4″ | .68 oz | .75 oz | .83 oz | .90 oz | .99 oz | 1.06 oz | 1.20 oz | 1.31 oz |
| 5″ | 1.41 oz | 1.52 oz | 1.64 oz | 1.81 oz | 1.95 oz | 2.09 oz | 2.24 oz | 2.40 oz |
| 6″ | 2.56 oz | 2.79 oz | 2.97 oz | 3.16 oz | 3.35 oz | 3.57 oz | 3.78 oz | 4.09 oz |
| 7″ | 4.32 oz | 4.57 oz | 4.83 oz | 5.11 oz | 5.46 oz | 5.75 oz | 6.05 oz | 6.35 oz |
| 8″ | 6.70 oz | 7.02 oz | 7.48 oz | 7.83 oz | 8.22 oz | 8.61 oz | 8.99 oz | 9.42 oz |
| 9″ | 9.98 oz | 10.41 oz | 10.86 oz | 11.32 oz | 11.82 oz | 12.31 oz | 12.98 oz | 13.51 oz |
| 10″ | 14.07 oz | 14.48 oz | 14.89 oz | 15.43 oz | 15.94 oz | 1 lb 1 oz | 1 lb 1.6 oz | 1 lb 2.3 oz |
| 11″ | 1 lb 3.7 oz | 1 lb 4.3 oz | 1 lb 4.9 oz | 1 lb 5.7 oz | 1 lb 6.4 oz | 1 lb 7 oz | 1 lb 7.8 oz | 1 lb 8.4 oz |
| 12″ | 1 lb 9.8 oz | 1 lb 10.6 oz | 1 lb 11.3 oz | 1 lb 12 oz | 1 lb 12.7 oz | 1 lb 13.5 oz | 1 lb 14.3 oz | 1 lb 15 oz |
| 13″ | 1 lb 15.7 oz | 2 lbs .35 oz | 2 lbs .9 oz | 2 lbs 1.4 oz | 2 lbs 1.98 oz | 2 lbs 2.5 oz | 2 lbs 3.1 oz | 2 lbs 3.7 oz |
| 14″ | 2 lbs 4.3 oz | 2 lbs 4.9 oz | 2 lbs 5.6 oz | 2 lbs 6.1 oz | 2 lbs 6.7 oz | 2 lbs 7.2 oz | 2 lbs 7.8 oz | 2 lbs 8.3 oz |
| 15″ | 2 lbs 8.9 oz | 2 lbs 9.4 oz | 2 lbs 10 oz | 2 lbs 10.4 oz | 2 lbs 10.8 oz | 2 lbs 11.3 oz | 2 lbs 11.7 oz | 2 lbs 12.3 oz |
| 16″ | 2 lbs 12.8 oz | 2 lbs 13.5 oz | 2 lbs 14.1 oz | 2 lbs 14.6 oz | 2 lbs 15.2 oz | 2 lbs 15.9 oz | 3 lbs .5 oz | 3 lbs 1.3 oz |
| 17″ | 3 lbs 2.1 oz | 3 lbs 2.9 oz | 3 lbs 3.7 oz | 3 lbs 4.4 oz | 3 lbs 5.3 oz | 3 lbs 6.1 oz | 3 lbs 6.9 oz | 3 lbs 7.6 oz |
View World & State Rock Bass Records
Where Rock Bass Are Found
Rock bass are native to eastern United States and southeastern Canada and are found all over North America.
Rock bass inhabit lakes, streams, rivers, ponds, reservoirs, and rock pools. They like slow-medium currents with shallow, clear water.
These fish prefer heavily vegetated waters with rocky or sandy bottoms. They can be found near boulders, rocks, logs, drop-offs, fallen trees, rocky shorelines, debris and docks.
Lifespan of a Rock Bass
The lifespan of a rock bass is typically 5 – 6 years in the wild and 10 years in captivity. They take 2 – 3 years to reach maturity.
You can tell the general age of a rock bass by referring to the table below.
Rock Bass Age Chart
| Age | Length |
| 1 Year Old | 4 – 6 inches |
| 2 Years Old | 6 – 8 inches |
| 3 Years Old | 8 – 9 inches |
| 4 Years Old | 9 – 10 inches |
| 5 Years Old | 8 – 11 inches |
| 6 Years Old | 11 – 13 inches |
| 7 Years Old | 13 – 15 inches |
| 8 Years Old | 15 – 17 inches |
Fishing For Rock Bass
Are Rock Bass hard to catch?
Rock bass are one of the easiest fish to catch. They can be found in shallow water near the bank and docks which makes them very easy to target. All you need to do is drop a small hook with bait on it in front of them.
What size hook do you use for rock bass?
The #6 size Gamakatsu Octopus is the best hook for catching rock bass.
What type of bait do you use for rock bass?
Rock bass can be caught on nightcrawlers, wax worms, mealworms, bloodworms, brine shrimp, fruit flies, daphnia, crickets crickets, minnows and even canned corn.
They will also go for artificial lures such as spinners, flies, small jigs, spoons and craw lures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are rock bass good eating?
Rock bass taste great but they don’t have a lot of meat per fish. Many choose not to eat them due to the amount of effort required to fillet them without the reward for a lot of meat. If you are willing to put the effort in they make great fish for a fish fry.
Is corn good for Rock Bass?
Corn is one of the best baits to use when fishing for rock bass. A corn kernel is the perfect size for their mouth and they absolutely love it. A can of corn is cheap and will last you an entire day of fishing.
Do rock bass bite humans?
Rock bass are not dangerous to humans. Their mouths are too small to bite humans and they are not poisonous or venomous.
Are rock bass a carp?
Rock bass are not carp. Rock bass are members of the Centrarchidae family, while carp are members of the Cyprinidae family.
Are rock bass a crappie?
Rock bass are not a crappie, although they are a part of the same Centrarchidae family. Rock bass are in the Lepomis genus , while carp are members of the Pomoxis genus.
Are rock bass related to bass?
Rock bass are not related to bass, although they are a part of the same Centrarchidae family. Rock bass are in the Lepomis genus, while bass are members of the Micropterus genus.
What fish will eat a rock bass?
Large bass, northern pike, muskie, walleye, and other predator fish all eat rock bass as part of their normal diet.