As the common name suggests, the Cahaba Bass is found in the Cahaba River System of the Mobile Basin in central Alabama. The Cahaba Bass is found in small, upland streams with in-stream cover. This species was recently described out of the Micropterus coosae (Redeye Bass) complex. As with other members of this complex, Cahaba Basses have dusky bars or blotches along their sides and a red eye.