This large species of bream is properly called a “warmouth.” Its large mouth —larger than any other species of bream — and its more-elongated body shape have led some people (who should know better) to believe that they are hybrids between bluegills and bass.
Goggle-eyes prefer areas of low water current, and are the ultimate swamp dweller among bream. They are strongly prone to hang near shelter such as stumps, logs, stick-ups and tree trunks standing in water, probably for ambush purposes.
Goggle-eyes are generalized feeders, which is another way of saying that they will eat anything they can get their big mouths around. They feed surface to bottom, taking everything from surface lures to baits dredging along in the mud.
Goggle-eyes tend to nest solitarily, unless the population in an area is so large that, by necessity, the nests are crowded together. This makes searching for spawning beds fruitless, and as a result most goggle-eyes are caught incidentally to fishing for other species.
Goggle-eyes will nest on very soft bottoms, unlike their other bream relatives.
