Freshwater Basses
Note how the mouth of the Largemouth extends under the eye, while that of the Smallmouth stops short of it. A lot of fishermen seem to think everything they catch is a Largemouth.
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Fishes
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Golden Shiner
There are many different types of minnows in North America, but the one you are most likely to encounter kayaking is the Golden Shiner, and there is a good reason for this: If you are out after dark and you have a light, they will jump at it and can end up in the boat.
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Bluegill Sunfish
There is scarcely a body of water in the state that does not have Bluegills in it. Bluegills get to a foot long, but are seldom seen at that size.
All sunfishes are aggressive and territorial. Their belligerence is heightened in the confines of an aquarium, where you may start out with several small ones, but you will end up with just one big one. A sunfish will tear a fish-store cichlid to pieces. They adapt readily to regular fish food, but lose most of the attractive wild colors.
-- Wikipedia
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Real side handles make necessary tie-down points for transport, and are well worth the cost of adding them if your boat doesn't have them. This is a good model that uses two screws at each end to secure it. Even better, if you can reach inside the hull, use bolts and washers instead of screws. Kayak plastic is pretty thick though, and the screws have not been a problem.
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