Popular Florida Fish Now Has a New Name

Islamorada is a top fishing location and FOX Weather Multimedia Journalist Brandy Campbell explains why it is the sport fishing capital of the world.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida – The Sunshine State’s most popular freshwater fish now has a new name, thanks to years of study and conjecture.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced Wednesday that many largemouth bass will now be known as Florida bass.

University researchers have used genetic analysis to determine that some largemouth bass are indeed their own species.

The scientific name Micropterus salmoides is now used to identify the Florida bass, while the largemouth bass is known by the new name Micropterus nigricans.

“Understanding and conserving fish species is critical to sustainable recreational fishing and biodiversity conservation. Species classification plays a key role in these efforts,” the FWC said.

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NOT PLAYED – CIRCA 2002: Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides), also known as Black Bass or Bigmouth, Centrarchidae.

(Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images/Getty Images)

In addition, researchers report that the bass’s range appears to be larger than originally thought, extending from North Carolina to the east and west coasts of the Sunshine State.

The average size of a Florida bass is less than 10 pounds. The bass usually congregate near docks and other pilings in the state’s many freshwater and brackish waterways.

The FWC states that the species’ name change will affect how the fish is referred to in regulations and official communications, but that it will not affect the fishery.

Anyone who participates in this sport cannot tell the difference between the two fish without scientific research.

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The record for the largest largemouth bass is 17.27 pounds, a weight set in 1986 in Central Florida.

The FWC has indicated that fishing regulations for both species will remain in effect.

The daily catch limit for freshwater bass is five, of which only one may be longer than 40 cm.

Florida, Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area, fishing regulations sign.

(Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images/Getty Images)