Was talking about this the other night with some friends. Roughly what year did Dolphin become Mahi, Rockfish become Striper, Spot tail become Reds, and Stump knockers become War mouth or Molly?
I know many still have not changed to the modern renaming. Just wondering others opinions on when they all changed.
We all agreed that Dolphin became Mahi for commercial and restaurant reasons, but the others? Reds maybe because it sounds cooler for the guides to market the whole sale catch and release bit, Rockfish because all the Northern influence and local old timers dying out, … and Stump knockers maybe because just not enough people swamp fishing and when they catch one they use the scientific name after trying to figure out what they caught thinking they had a bass/bream cross. ?
Talking about old timers dying out made me think of some kin I had that lived near Lynch’s River.They always called largemouth bass a trout. I have done some swamp fishing with inlaws in whippy swamp.You should know where that is,it’s up by you,near pond town.Thanks for the info on the oil also.
Talking about old timers dying out made me think of some kin I had that lived near Lynch’s River.They always called largemouth bass a trout. I have done some swamp fishing with inlaws in whippy swamp.You should know where that is,it’s up by you,near pond town.Thanks for the info on the oil also.
That’s a little up from me but not far, Never fished there, but did once get a pocket full of peanuts from a field near Pond Town.
I forgot the Trout thing. I’ve got two old Brothers that I see weekly, they always talked about catching trout. I just assumed they meant speckled trout. They asked if I’d care for a mess if they caught some more, I said sure. Brought a few by in a bucket to give me… “We thought you might like a few trout”… Largemouth bass. ,
Dolphin/ Mahi…have to agree with the resturant thing. Not sure anyone would order the “Flipper” and a Cobb Salad. When in Hawaii for sure Mahi-Mahi bro.
Rockfish/ Striper…For me it depends on where you’re fishing, Stripers in the lakes, Rockfish in the rivers.
Spot Tail/ Reds…Reds or Rats, ocassionally Buls:stuck_out_tongue:. Anything else sounds silly[:I] and yeah, Reds is reeaally cool!
Stump knocker/ Warmouth/ Molly?..this one is easy. Stump knockers are Spotted Sunfish, they don’t get very big. Warmouth/ Molly is the same…Warmouth. But some folks call them Stump knockers but still a “Mo’mouth” as my childhood fish’n buddies called them. “Looks like a bream, only mo’mouth, like a bass.” Lived alot of my youth in lower Richland county.
It’s a dolphin, always will be around here. People calling them mahi are confused or use to ordering fish off a menu, not caring them. Same goes for saying I want the ahi tuna, really you want tuna tuna Rainman. This year it’ll be soba mackerel.
Mark
Southport 28TE
2X Yamaha F250
Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn’t go so far as to call a dog filthy but they’re definitely dirty. But, a dog’s got personality. Personality goes a long way.
“Life’s tough…It’s even tougher if you’re stupid” John Wayne
To me its because of anglers are changing. A lot more transplants, eduacated anglers, cyber anglers, more money and other factors that contribute to diluting traditions. The class of angler has risen, a lot less poor low class people fishing the coast these days. Ive watched the landings change around charleston in the last 20 years. I think the broad reach of the cyber angler has influenced it the most.
My lingo reds, large mouth, striper, mahi. People who arent from here are like wth is a spottail bass, its a reddrum, ive caught a red drum before. Dolphin confuses people also.
I started calling them redfish with people I don’t know primarily because I got tired of having to tell people what I was talking about when I said spot tail bass. This started over 20 years ago when I was working in tackle retail and we really started to get a large population of come heeya’s I still say dolphin and often have to tell people I am not talking about flipper. I think it has to do more with the number of people coming here. I still call them spottail when talking the people from here. Local traditions stay strong in my family even is the rest of the area seems to be losing some of this.
I still call them spottail when talking the people from here. Local traditions stay strong in my family even is the rest of the area seems to be losing some of this.
according to my wife’s family (very much binyah) a bass is a spottail bass and a drum is a black drum… unless you’re in north cackalacky where a drum is a bass, or flo-town where a red is a bass… or sweetwater where a bass is a Centrarchid and a trout is a Salmonid
cougar/mountain lion/puma/panther, red/channel/spottail/puppy/bull… it’s all just colloquial and mostly driven by cool factor or market factors IMO
What sounds better, Blackened Redfish or Blackened Spot tail bass? Let’s pin it on the guides changing the name for marketing purposes though.
After being released, a lot of fish die, but a lot of them live also.
Mr. Fritz, I had no intention of pinning anything in a negative way. I had this conversation with some relatives and was just curious what others thought about it. I’m guessing 30 years ago Not one Native S.C. resident called a Spot tail a “red” fish. I’m not singling out guides by any means, but I think the influence of them over the last 20 years has led to the strong use of the “red” name.
Actually I’d say the change from spot tail to Red fish is a lot more “sporty” name. I like it. I remember first hearing it and wondering what kind of fish these dudes were catching, and when I found they were talking about spot tail I asked how’d they come up with that name. They said the guide called them that. That was 20 years ago.
I still don’t call a dolphin “Mahi”.
I think Apickett labeled it best towards my way of thinking.
I agree with Rockfish in the rivers and stripers in the lake. But it will always be spottail for my brothers and me. My daddy still refers to large mouth bass as trout.
I have another one for you - mudfish vs. bowfin. My daddy sometimes referred to these as cypress trout but that was because my mom wouldn’t eat mudfish. . By the way, I grew up about 4 miles west of Pond Town and spent many hours fishing Whippy Swamp in my youth.
Kevin
1720 Sea Hunt w/ 115 hp Yam
M’Ocean Sickness (SOLD)
2018 Sportsman 212 Open w/200 hp Yam
M’Ocean Sickness II
I grew up catching bass in the creeks around Edisto, then went to the outer banks and found out they were spot tails or drums, then went to Florida and found out they were red fish. I always thaught a drum was black till I was educated! Well they all eat the same fried with corn meal in lots of greese!
I agree with Rockfish in the rivers and stripers in the lake. But it will always be spottail for my brothers and me. My daddy still refers to large mouth bass as trout.
I have another one for you - mudfish vs. bowfin. My daddy sometimes referred to these as cypress trout but that was because my mom wouldn’t eat mudfish. . By the way, I grew up about 4 miles west of Pond Town and spent many hours fishing Whippy Swamp in my youth.
Kevin
1720 Sea Hunt w/ 115 hp Yam
M’Ocean Sickness (SOLD)
2018 Sportsman 212 Open w/200 hp Yam
M’Ocean Sickness II
Cypress trout! Never heard that one. Thanks for the reply. Neat trivial stuff.
In my much younger days we always called small “reds” Puppy drum , and larger ;30-40 inch ones just plain Drum… Black drum were always Black Drum , some folks called them “Chain Gangers” because of the black stripes which also confused them to some folks with the sheephead …
The most confusing was the King fish (aka) Va.Mullet,(aka)whiteing,(aka) mullet which was confused (name wise) with the Popeye mullet which then was only used as cut bait… Bet I got yall really confused now??? ;;cept for the older than dirt fishermen !!!
Have you gotten so spooked from the political forum that now you are trying to figure out fish aliases too…
RBF
If I didn’t know you by now, I might take offense to that statement. As it is Thanks for the comment.
How are you doing RBF? Hope well.
Never once heard anyone referring differently to spot tail as they mature other than maybe the big ones being Bulls.
And I believe that “Bull” red is a recent addition… I’d say here locally in the last 15 or so years.
Doing well, Fred. How about yourself?
The technical difference between a “Redfish” and “Spot Tail/Channel Bass/Puppy Drum” is simple:
Spot Tail/Channel Bass/Puppy Drum:
1.) Caught from either a pier, bank, or a boat powered by a two-stroke motor with no poling platform
2.) Use live/cut bait
3.) Igloo cooler
4.) Shakespeare equipment
5.) No fishing fashion statements
Redfish:
1.) Caught from a four-stroke powered boat, poling platform, with enough gadgets to require a four year technical degree to operate
2.) Use artificials
3.) Yeti cooler
4.) Shimano equipment
5.) Opposite of #5 above