How many places do you know that have their own species of fish?

It is one of the rarest members of the sunfish family and not a great deal is known about it. This newcomer, a close relative to the smallmouth, offers Florida anglers excellent sporting opportunities in a beautiful setting.

Suwannee bass have the most restricted distribution of all the black basses. They are found only in the limestone sinkhole region associated with the Suwannee and Ochlockonee Rivers in Florida as well as a small portion above the Florida-Georgia state line. Remarkably, though these two river systems are 75 miles apart, the Suwannee bass does not live in any of the streams lying in between them. The Santa Fe River, which is a tributary to the Suwannee River, harbors the majority of the entire population.

Though sometimes mistaken for smallmouth, redeye, or spotted bass, the Suwannee has some very distinctive features. Largemouth bass are the only other black bass living in the same waters. But unlike the largemouth, the Suwannee bass has a shallow dorsal notch and an upper jaw bone that does not extend past the back of the eye. Scales are present on bases of dorsal and anal fins. It also has several diamond-shaped vertical bars along its sides and additionally, there rests a dark spot at the base of the tail. The most prominent and distinguishing attributes of this species are tones of turquoise on the cheeks and breast area.

For being a small bass, they are strong fighters and offer great sport for flyfishing or spinning tackle. A 12-inch fish would be considered a trophy. But the security of the Suwannee bass is not guaranteed safe. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission considers this fish a "Species of Special Concern." The natural range of this fish is quite limited.

For more information contact the Suwannee Chamber of Commerce. Don't forget about a place to stay. There are several local hotels including a brand new Holiday Inn Express or if you prefer the outdoors,the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park & Campground offers an excellent campground.

You can paddle, hike, bicycle, horseback ride, camp, fish, boat and watch wildlife on the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail.