Is this a spot or largemouth?

MB916 · Post by **MB916** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 11:50 pm

Hooked into this big girl at folsom on Saturday. When I was out there I thought that she was a LM but after I got home and took a look at the picture it looked like it could be a Spot....what do you guys think? Oh yeah she was close to 6lbs.

DanO · Post by **DanO** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 2:26 am

Looks Like a Spot to me, The junction of the jaws won't pass the eye, and the dotted coloration patterns under the lateral lines say spotted bass to me.

DanO

tunaman · Post by **tunaman** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 8:11 am

Did it have the tongue patch? Usually an easy way to tell the difference.

Roger

upriverLMB · Post by **upriverLMB** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 8:14 am

Not sure, what one did it taste like?

NG · Post by NG » Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:47 pm

That is a really nice spot, 100% sure by just looking at the markings and coloration. I've noticed that many people have trouble telling the difference without checking the jaw or tongue patch. I'm not sure why it's so difficult, the two types look quite a bit different to me. Anyway, that is a trophy spot for most of us.

Larry Hemphill · Post by **Larry Hemphill** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 4:26 pm

I just typed out a full explanation as to why your trophy was a spot, but it didn't go thru! Your spot has horizontal lines all the way to the belly, which are typical of a spotted bass. Those lines fade pretty quickly on a largemouth. The two top fins on a largemouth at separated but on a spot, they are slightly connected. The famous black line on spots and largemouth are very sharply defined on a spot - especially near the tail as your fish shows. That black line near the tail even shows on a smallmouth/spot hybrid. At 6 lbs - let call it a trophy spot anyway! 6 lb largemouth are a dime a dozen (yea, right!).

brambo0311 · Post by **brambo0311** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:46 am

Spot.

That little patch on the tongue thing don't hold true. Plenty of largemouth have that thing on there tongue in the delta.

Andy Giannini · Post by **Andy Giannini** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 2:53 pm

Brambo,

There are spots on the Delta as well.

.02 A.G.

upriverLMB · Post by **upriverLMB** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:46 pm

Got another one for you. Caught it on Johnny C's water. Only 2lb range but crazy markings. That is not a shadow, its head was a different color than the body. I have a good idea why it is what it is based on the area that I caught it but wanted to get other thoughts.

Jboutfishn · Post by **Jboutfishn** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:34 pm

Thinking Spot.

jimmy87 · Post by **jimmy87** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:10 pm

Not sure about that fish but is that photo at lake camanche?

tunaman · Post by **tunaman** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:24 pm

Looks more like a largemouth... no spots on the belly.

One of the notable traits of the spotted bass vs the largemouth is the tongue patch... here are the general guidelines:

Largemouth bass
•Cheek scales same size as rest of body scales
•Green with dark horizontal stripe
•Without rows of dark spots
•Upper jaw extends beyond back of eye
•Smooth tongue
•Dorsal fins not well connected

Spotted bass
•Cheek scales much smaller than rest of body scales
•Green with dark horizontal stripe
•Rows of dark spots
•Upper jaw does not extend much beyond back of eye
•Tongue has rough patch
•Dorsal fins connected

Roger

calfisher71 · Post by **calfisher71** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:37 pm

NG · Post by NG » Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:17 pm

That is a spot too.

Larry Hemphill · Post by **Larry Hemphill** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:10 pm

Can't be totally positive, but lack of horizontal lines near the belly say largemouth. Also, the main black line near the lateral line is broken up and not as sharply defined as it would be on a spot. But, only a biologist could be sure.

Oldschool · Post by **Oldschool** » Tue May 01, 2012 8:45 am

http://www.ncsu.edu/project/fish-lab/pd ... t_2009.pdf
The dorsal fin appears to be separated and looks like only 9 rays which indicate a largemouth bass.
The mouth being held open makes eye to corner of the mouth difficult to determine, no mention of teeth on the tonque. Spots have 10 dorsal fin rays, largemouth 9. Spots have scales up agianst the dorsal fin, largemouth the skin doesn't have any scales against the dorsal fins. Coloration isn't consistant as bass tend adapt colors to match their envornment.
The big factor is fighting strength; spots are much faster compared to largemouth, fight more like smallmouth.
Tom

Wolfeman · Post by **Wolfeman** » Tue May 01, 2012 9:33 am

Do we have any reports of spots and largemouth cross breeding?
Seems several people are dead sure it's both.

- Wolfeman

Oldschool · Post by **Oldschool** » Tue May 01, 2012 1:23 pm

Wolfeman wrote:Do we have any reports of spots and largemouth cross breeding?
Seems several people are dead sure it's both.
- Wolfeman

Read the link I posted; it covers LMB/Spotted bass hybrids and has a few photos.
Tom

brambo0311 · Post by **brambo0311** » Tue May 01, 2012 2:17 pm

Andy Giannini wrote:Brambo,

There are spots on the Delta as well.

.02 A.G.

I know there are spots and smallmouth on the delta. Next couple largemouth you get, go ahead and check the tongue. Don't know if it's cross breeding or what, but allot of largemouth have that patch.

I know spots cross with smallmouth, we call those a mule. But that is a spot.

MB916 · Post by **MB916** » Tue May 01, 2012 9:12 pm

well seems this has sprung a bit of a debate. I will say that it came out of spot habitat and fought like a spot, pulled long and hard. when i first saw it i thought spot, then someone on the boat i was on said LM. after seeing the pic I thought spot again. should have checked the tounge. with all that bwing said i am petty certain it is a spot. I'll go with that.