The deluxe, comprehensive guide to the native species of Mississippi Download Plain Text version Where was the largest bass caught in Mississippi? What streams are sometimes home to the gulf sturgeon? How can an angler tell a grass pickerel from a walleye? In Inland Fishes of Mississippi, Stephen T. Ross answers these questions and many more. Mississippi waters are some of the richest inland fish habitats in the United States. In fact, only four states have more native fish than Mississippi's 204. Inland Fishes of Mississippi is for anglers and nature lovers who want to learn more about this thriving diversity. Introductory chapters present the history of the study of fish in Mississippi, the distribution patterns of species, important conservation issues, and valuable information on identifying fish by examining body shape and structure. Following these are illustrated keys to all the families of fish known to inhabit inland waters. Each key is a detailed guide to identifying the specific species within a family of fish. Keys include: color photographs of freshly collected examples meanings of scientific names for fish descriptions of color and physical changes maximum sizes of fish, including records for game fish precise maps of distribution vital information on habitat requirements, feeding, and behavior tips on where to catch a species status of conservation efforts For both the casual angler and the ichthyologist, Inland Fishes of Mississippi will prove a constant resource and an irreplaceable asset for identifying, observing, and catching the state's various species. Stephen T. Ross is professor of biological sciences and Curator of Fishes at the University of Southern Mississippi. The editor for ecology and ethology of Copeia, he has also published articles in numerous journals such as American Naturalist, Environmental Biology of Fishes, and Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.

Fishing Mississippi pilots the angler to the perfect fishing hole and details the knots, bait, lures, and techniques required to land a lunker. From its northern boundary to the Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi provides some of the finest angling opportunities found anywhere. A mild climate and abundance of waters make fishing a sport practiced year-round. Anglers who have focused on one single specimen or those who are new to the pursuit of fishing may be surprised at the variety Mississippi has to offer. More than twenty native fishes fall into the sport-fish category, and these species are thriving. Novices and old pros will find, among the many fish described in Fishing Mississippi, new quarry matched to their abilities. Fishing Mississippi provides a single source highlighting all the thrills of fishing in the state. The guide tells when, where, and how to fish for a variety of species, and covers the reservoirs, rivers, ponds, and streams thoroughly. Detailed color illustrations of the major sporting fish, twenty maps, driving directions, and phone numbers set the hopeful fisher on the right course. Anglers will find bluegill, redear sunfish, longear sunfish, green sunfish, warmouth, crappie, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, largemouth bass, striped bass, white bass, hybrid bass, sauger, walleye, blue catfish, channel catfish, and flatheads discussed. The book also highlights the need for wise use and conservation to help assure viable future fishing for generations to come. Fishing Mississippi will put the angler on the right path for some memory-making experiences. Tony Kinton's writings and photographs have been published in such periodicals as Outdoor Life, Bowhunter, Southern Outdoors, Mississippi, Mississippi Outdoors, and Mississippi Woods and Waters.