Rock bass
The rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris, Ambloplites constellatus), also known as the rock perch or goggle-eye, is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. They are similar in appearance to smallmouth bass but are usually quite a bit smaller. The average rock bass is between 6-10 inches, and they are rarely over a pound. Rock bass are native to the St Lawrence River and Great Lakes system, the upper and middle Mississippi River basin in North America from Québec to Saskatchewan in the north down to Missouri and Arkansas, and throughout the eastern U.S. from New York through Kentucky and Tennessee to the northern portions of Alabama and Georgia in the south. While fairly good eating cooked fresh, Rock Bass are generally not regarded by most anglers as a food fish of the quality of bluegill or perch. Fishing with live bait such as nightcrawlers is the most effective to catch rock bass, although they are often caught with lures while fishing for bass.