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Warmouth Species Breakdown

Scientific Name: Lepomis gulosus

Also Known As: redeye, goggle-eye, red-eyed bream, stump knocker, mudgapper, mo-mouth, morgan, molly, open mouth, weed bass, wood bass, strawberry perch, and mud bass

Warmouth are a freshwater fish in the sunfish family. they are omnivores that eat zooplankton, insects, mollusks, crayfish, shrimp, snails, mussels, and small fish.

How to Identify a Warmouth

The warmouth is medium sized olive-brown to gray sunfish with a golden belly. They can be identified by red-brown stripes on their sides, a large mouth and red eyes.

Warmouth Size

Warmouth can grow up to 14 inches long and weigh up to 2 lbs 7oz. They average 5 – 8 inches long and weigh about 1 lb.

Warmouth Size Chart – Length to Weight Conversion

Length0″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 oz1.06 oz1.20 oz1.31 oz
5″1.41 oz1.52 oz1.64 oz1.81 oz1.95 oz2.09 oz2.24 oz2.40 oz
6″2.56 oz2.79 oz2.97 oz3.16 oz3.35 oz3.57 oz3.78 oz4.09 oz
7″4.32 oz4.57 oz4.83 oz5.11 oz5.46 oz5.75 oz6.05 oz6.35 oz
8″6.70 oz7.02 oz7.48 oz7.83 oz8.22 oz8.61 oz8.99 oz9.42 oz
9″9.98 oz10.41 oz10.86 oz11.32 oz11.82 oz12.31 oz12.98 oz13.51 oz
10″14.07 oz14.48 oz14.89 oz15.43 oz15.94 oz1 lb 1 oz1 lb 1.6 oz1 lb 2.3 oz
11″1 lb 3.7 oz1 lb 4.3 oz1 lb 4.9 oz1 lb 5.7 oz1 lb 6.4 oz1 lb 7 oz1 lb 7.8 oz1 lb 8.4 oz
12″1 lb 9.8 oz1 lb 10.6 oz1 lb 11.3 oz1 lb 12 oz1 lb 12.7 oz1 lb 13.5 oz1 lb 14.3 oz1 lb 15 oz
13″1 lb 15.7 oz2 lbs .35 oz2 lbs .9 oz2 lbs 1.4 oz2 lbs 1.98 oz2 lbs 2.5 oz2 lbs 3.1 oz2 lbs 3.7 oz
14″2 lbs 4.3 oz2 lbs 4.9 oz2 lbs 5.6 oz2 lbs 6.1 oz2 lbs 6.7 oz2 lbs 7.2 oz2 lbs 7.8 oz2 lbs 8.3 oz

View World & State Warmouth Records

Where Warmouth Are Found

Warmouth are native to eastern parts of the United States and are found all over the US and Mexico.

They inhabit lakes, ponds, swamps, quiet streams, springs, marshes, canals, backwaters, small rivers, bays and reservoirs.

These fish prefer vegetated areas with muddy bottoms and slow moving waters. They can be found near stumps, weeds, rocky banks, and other large objects.

Lifespan of a Warmouth

The lifespan of a warmouth is typically 5 years in the wild and 8 years in captivity. They take about 1 year to reach maturity.

You can tell the general age of a flier by referring to the table below.

Warmouth Age Chart

AgeLength
1 Year Old3 – 4 inches
2 Years Old4 – 5 inches
3 Years Old5 – 6 inches
4 Years Old6 – 7 inches
5 Years Old7 – 8 inches
6 Years Old8 – 9 inches
7 Years Old9 – 10 inches
8 Years Old10 – 14 inches

Fishing For Warmouth

Are Warmouth hard to catch?

Warmouth 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 warmouth?

The #6 size Gamakatsu Octopus is the best hook for catching warmouth.

What type of bait do you use for warmouth?

Warmouth can be caught with live bait such as crickets, worms, small minnows and even canned corn.

They will also go for artificial flies, spinners, and small jigs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are warmouth good eating?

Warmouth 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 Warmouth?

Corn is one of the best baits to use when fishing for warmouth. 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 warmouth bite humans?

Warmouth are not dangerous to humans. Their mouths are too small to bite humans and they are not poisonous or venomous.

Are warmouth a carp?

Warmouth are not carp. Warmouth are members of the Centrarchidae family, while carp are members of the Cyprinidae family.

Are warmouth a crappie?

Bluegill are not a crappie, although they are a part of the same Centrarchidae family. Warmouth are in the Lepomis genus , while carp are members of the Pomoxis genus.

Are warmouth related to bass?

Warmouth are not related to bass, although they are a part of the same Centrarchidae family. Warmouth are in the Lepomis genus, while bass are members of the Micropterus genus.

What fish will eat a warmouth?

Bass, muskie, catfish, pickerel, gar, bowfin, water snakes, turtles, herons and other predator fish all eat warmouth as part of their normal diet.

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