Favorite small fish to catch?

[Betta132]

Anyone have a little species of fish they like to catch? By "little" I mean usually under a foot long.
Warmouths are a favorite of mine. They come lunging out of nowhere, hit like tiny little cannons, and fight like the balls of muscle they are until you get them in. I had a nine-incher break my lightweight spinner reel. Plus, they have nice colors, and they're tough enough that they're just fine the second you let them go.
I also like seeing the color variation among longears. Not as much fight in those, but they do have enough speed to take the line ten feet sideways in about a second.

 

[fatboy8]

I'd learn towards native brook trout since they rarely exceede 12". Small streams, super light tackle, and awesome colors

 

[Thekid]

My favorites are 3-4" green sunnies. They don't fight hard, live on the hook a long time, and are a favorite treat for big cats.

 

[divemaster99]

Same as fatboy8, I love wild Brookies. We normally catch them 3-10" but occasionally I'll luck in to a 12" and I caught my PB in July at 15"! White Bass in Lake Erie are my second favorite and they average 8-14" from our pier but I'll regularly catch 15-16"rs a few miles offshore trolling spoons.

 

[MN_Rebel]

I love fishing for smelts, yellow perch and creek chubs.

 

[divemaster99]

I love fishing for... creek chubs.

Creek chubs are the best! They're the only thing that gets me through a southwest PA winter, I always know I can go to my local feeder creek and pull a couple out in a day of fishing in freezing water .

 

[Duckman77]

Anyone have a little species of fish they like to catch? By "little" I mean usually under a foot long.
Warmouths are a favorite of mine. They come lunging out of nowhere, hit like tiny little cannons, and fight like the balls of muscle they are until you get them in. I had a nine-incher break my lightweight spinner reel. Plus, they have nice colors, and they're tough enough that they're just fine the second you let them go.
I also like seeing the color variation among longears. Not as much fight in those, but they do have enough speed to take the line ten feet sideways in about a second.

White and yellow bass.

 

[festaedan]

Im a big fan of the good ol' blue gill. There are some good sized ones in the C&O canal which are always fun when we cant find any carp

 

[blindkiller85]

Love going for massive bluegill (6-10 inches) in a couple of lakes that I used to frequent and the occasion where I can get into wild shiners and turn around and use them for bait. Which astonishingly can get up to 16 inches.

 

[fishnatics]

Bluegills are my favorite