Largemouth, Smallmouth, or "Meanmouth" bass?

ttb31183 · Post by **ttb31183** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 2:21 pm

I was out fishing Lake Coeur d'Alene yesterday and caught a fish that looked like a smallmouth but also kind of looked like a largemouth. I know about the "meanmouth" mixed breed and have caught several but in my experience that usually happens when spots are present. Spots/Largemouth or Spots/Smallmouth. I'm not a biologist but that has been my experience.

What do you think this fish is? Largemouth, smallmouth, or a "mean mouth" bass? It had a fairly big mouth compared to other smallmouth that big and definitely had markings you find on both species.

After catching it is also led me to some questions about the fish. Do you think it would act more like a smallmouth and not be found in shallow lily pads and other typical largemouth haunts? Would it hang out with other largemouth or smallmouth? It got me wondering and wanted to see what everyone else thinks.

Here is a better picture that shows the markings a little more.

hydro · Post by **hydro** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 5:58 pm

I'm with you LM+SM body shape looks like a LM but the vertical bars on sides look like a SM .
The tail looks more like a LM too and is not forked looking like SM bass .

You should have donated the fish to the local fish and game dept in the area for evaluation .

Larry Hemphill · Post by **Larry Hemphill** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 6:57 pm

I don't know much about Meanmouth, but your fish is definitely not a largemouth. Looks like a smallmouth to me.
Horizontal bars on the head, top fin connected, and smallie color almost all the way to the bottom of the fish. Largemouth are white on their bottom half and their top fin is in two sections. Tail look like a typical smallie.

DanIsaac · Post by **DanIsaac** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 7:30 pm

Yup Definately a mule, or meanmouth as some Call them, Dan

ash · Post by **ash** » Wed Oct 31, 2018 9:25 am

Id Say its a hybrid as well perhaps a buck was quick to run up and spread his seed across a smallie bed? Ya know how juveniles are quick to spread that seed to any young thang.... In terms of targeting them. Most of the mean mouth I have caught are on Lake Comanche and they were caught next to the damn or deeper water rock outcroppings.