My son's friend caught this weird fish in the Trinity that we have identified as a shellcracker.

warmouth/goggle eye.

Beautiful fish. Love those.

That is a warmouth! Nice one too. When they are spawning, they may be the most beautifully colored fish in these here parts. Good eating too.

Pretty Fish! I need to head down to the Trinity and do a little fly fishing!

Nice to see a Warmouth, haven't caught one yet this year.

Beautiful fish. Warmouth!

In all the hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of fish I have caught in North Texas waters I have caught exactly one red eared sunfish. I caught it at Joe Pool Lake and very tenderly released it.

Red eared sunfish, aka shellcrackers, appear to have completely disappeared from these waters. Examples are Marine Creek and Cisco which used to have populations of red ears but no more. If you look at recent lake surveys by TPWD you will see the same.

I would certainly like to know why.

Good looking pair of kids and nice fish.

Nice fish!

Memories right there. Nice fish.

beautiful fish! Nice hat too!

Gotta head east, Smith... Fork is loaded with them. Other waters, as well...

I've fished there before. I can't remember where it's at. I've been wanting to go back though. Where is it? I recognize the point in the grass and the creek running to the left. I had to park near train tracks and part of the trinity running trails

If you are looking for a trophy red ear close to home the Wichita Mountains in oklahoma has several small ponds that have some monsters in them. Crater Lake is where I would focus my search late spring along the dam you can walk out on there are beds everywhere. That is a one really nice warmouth congratulations to the young angler there. Especially in the middle of the city!