# Fish ID Help - Spotted or LM Bass?



## Chillbilly

I have posted this pic before, but recently someone told me that they thought this might be a spotted bass and not a largemouth. I checked a DNR survey and found that spotted bass were in this creek with decent density. 

You cannot determine where the mouth stops on this fish (this is one of the determining factors in spotted versus largemouth bass). As you can see from the pics, this fish does have the markings below the vertical stripe. 

Any thoughts from the experts? 

http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/parks/mtnhome/images/mhbassid.gif


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## junkyardbass

If that's a spot, its a big one. Nice fish either way. Looks like a largemouth to me but hard to tell w/o a pic with it's mouth closed.


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## robistro

montagc said:


> I'd say LM. No black spot on the gill plate and I think spots have more spikes on the anal fin.


I would have to agree with 'monagc' The spotted bass I have seen in Ohio/Ky have more pronounced markings on the sides. 
That would be the biggest spot I've ever seen if it were one. Whats the record spot for this area? anyone know?


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## FSHNERIE

L.M Bass...Nice fish


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## CamdenGizzard

the record spot for ohio is.....

Bass, Spotted

5.25lb

21"

Lake White

Roger Trainer, Waverly

May 2, 1976


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## williamonica0214

LM for sure


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## bgrapala

Another vote for LM


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## Mushijobah

There is no way to tell for sure. There are some nice spots in a few creeks here in Central Ohio though.


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## Mushijobah

Looking at it again, a largemouth that big should have a larger mouth. I'm leaning spot. riverKing will chime in very soon and correct us all


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## Magic8Ball

Nice Fish either way


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## Chillbilly

Yeah - the mouth was a little small for a creek LM that big. Plus, it had the dark spotty striations under the vertical line. I am just not sure. I went back and looked at the DNR survey and they had more spotted bass found than LM, but that doesn't really tell you anything. I found this interesting in that people are catching what they think are LM, when in reality, they are catching spots. I've fished for 25 years and couldn't tell the difference before today's research.


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## tmerk

I gotta say LM. If not, it's the biggest spot I have ever seen! One sure way to tell is to look for the toothy patch on the tongue....spots have it, LM do not. Either way, great fish!


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## Pikemandu

im pretty sure that's a large mouth, i think his mouth looks small because his belly is huge. i have taken some pics of largemouth that have came out that way. also when i started tournament fishing i looked up id'ing them and the best way is to feel theyre toung, spots have a rough patch on them lm don't.


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## TeamPlaker

Just do what I do when you're unsure... call 'em a "black bass".  The only surefire way to tell is to close the mouth... if the jawline extends beyond the eye, you got a LM... if not, it's a spot. The tooth patch on the tongue is iffy, some LM have that too. Better go back and catch him again and let us know. 
Either way you slice it... heckuva fish.


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## boeing

Supposedly, spots have a rough spot on the tongue. Probably too late to check that though. I'd make it a largemouth.

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


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## jimnrg

It's a tough call with the mouth open like that but I'd side with a spot because it looks like that mouth won't go back past the eye. 
As Jay(TeamPlaker) said the tooth patch on the tongue can also be found in a small number of largemouth so my advice is flip a coin and just be happy you caught it


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## riverKing

LMB, if that where a spot
1. I would be even more jelous of a beastly bass
2. the rows of fines spots below the lateral line would be more pronounced
3. big spots have little mouths, the mouth is just too big to be a spot

best way to tell, close the mouth, if the jaw extends through the back of the eye its a spot or a smallie, and well, smallies are brown lol


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## fshnteachr

I thought this was a LM....is it a spotted?


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## carxman17

that looks like a spot for sure teach


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## LMRsmallmouth

If this fish came from LMR I say spot for sure. I have NEVER caught a LM out of LMR, many spots. From the pics it is hard for me to tell, I hope it was a spot as that would be a PIG. If you caught it somewhere else, I would say LM. Does look like one, most spots I caught have patchy spot on tongue and very distinct striping below the Lateral Line. Just my .02


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## Wiper Swiper

I'm missing where the thread starter said it came from the LMR???

I don't think there's much doubt it's a largemouth, and apparently a recipient of catch and release conservation. It's pearly white belly and brilliant color make it as pretty as a big spot, but that body and head shape sure look like the largemouth I catch. Don't get too hung up on the size of the mouth. I agree with riverKing...that would be a huge mouth for a spot of that size. That's not too small of a mouth for a greenie. Very nice stream fish regardless...

Is a spot/largemouth hybrid very likely? I wasn't sure if the two species even competed for the same spawning habitat. With spots becoming more invasive in the upper reaches of the Ohio river drainage...I guess it wouldn't suprise me.


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## tmerk

Looks like a spot to me, teach!


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## Robert Woodson

That's a Largemouth Bass for my money. Nice fish Chillibilly.
Good Fishing, 
Woody in Akron
Portage Lakes/Coventry


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## TommyV

Take it to the bank!


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## spfldbassguy

one more vote for largemouth


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## LMRsmallmouth

Wiper Swiper said:


> I'm missing where the thread starter said it came from the LMR???
> 
> I don't think there's much doubt it's a largemouth, and apparently a recipient of catch and release conservation. It's pearly white belly and brilliant color make it as pretty as a big spot, but that body and head shape sure look like the largemouth I catch. Don't get too hung up on the size of the mouth. I agree with riverKing...that would be a huge mouth for a spot of that size. That's not too small of a mouth for a greenie. Very nice stream fish regardless...
> 
> Is a spot/largemouth hybrid very likely? I wasn't sure if the two species even competed for the same spawning habitat. With spots becoming more invasive in the upper reaches of the Ohio river drainage...I guess it wouldn't suprise me.


I'm missing where the thread starter said it came from the LMR???

I said if..........never said it was, since he never said exactly I was just clearing that up.


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## Chillbilly

To be honest, I don't know if I'd be happier if it was a LM or Spot. I didn't hesitate to release her and barely got the pics. However, if it were a spot - it would push the state record of 5lbs. I wish I had scale for it. It was right around 20", but as you can see, very fat. I don't carry a scale or any type of ruler, but measured her against my net handle and then measured that when I got home. 

Apparently, I am going to have go catch her again and check out the jawline. Hopefully, she has forgotten about that incident with the silver rapala.


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## riverKing

ok to clarify
this fish is a largemouth
they do occur in the lmr when they was out of lakes and on rare occasion I have seen them bedding in small backwaters in the lmr.
Though a hybrid is possible in the lmr, and if I remember correctly have been observed in the lmr, this fish is not one. I personally have only seen one picture of a hybrid bass (smallmouth x spot) out of the ohio portion of the ohio river basin. they are very uncommon, and they stand out as definantly neither of the parents.
I hope that clears this up


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## Ajax

Here is another LMR spot bass for reference. I too know where the LMR largemouth hang out. They spill out from nearby small lakes. I don't think Chillbilly's fish came out of the LMR though.


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## Chillbilly

No, this was not a LMR fish. Interestingly, the latest survey in this area (2006) showed no LM in this area, 39 SM and a 5 spots. 

It probably was a LM, but I remember looking at the dark spots/lines towards its belly and thought that it was odd and they must only occur on big LM's. 

Thanks for all the input in this edition of "Name this Fish"!


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## Ol'Bassman

The way the fish is held, it is impossible to tell. The only definitively proof, one way or the other, is a DNA test analyzed by a biologist. My bet would be on LM. The only way for this to be solved is for Chillbilly to go catch it again. Either way, I have dreams of caughting bass like that. 
________
HOW TO CLEAN IOLITE VAPORIZER


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