8 replies to this topic

[OkumaBass]

Hello guys, new to the forum here. I've a question that i hope can get answered. Was wondering if this is a Spotted Bass?! I know the description of between them but never seen or caught one before. But I didn't think they had any here in Michigan but one of my fishing buddies said that this is the first Spotted Bass that he's seen. Thanks guys!

[flukemaster]

Nope. That's a largemouth.

[Hooligan]

Nope. That's a largemouth.

I concur.

[jiggerpole]

One way to tell for sure, is to look and feel of the tounge and if it has a ruff feel called a tooth patch then it is a spot.

[Scorcher214]

I don't think they live in michigan.

[OkumaBass]

Thanks guys. I didn't think it was a spotted bass. Jiggerpole, thanks for the picture and i'll make sure to look the next time.

[Bass Dude]

One way to tell for sure, is to look and feel of the tounge and if it has a ruff feel called a tooth patch then it is a spot.

This is not always the case...there are some instances where a largemouth can have a tooth patch. The absolute way is to close the mouth and see if the jaw bone hinge goes past the eye. If it doesn't, it's a spot. We almost had people come to blows because of the tooth patch. We had a fish at the weigh-in with a tooth patch, but the jaw went past the eye...I think it's almost like a type of cross-breeding.

Regardless, that is a largemouth that you have...no spots up north.

[rbreedi1]

Ol largemouth

[jiggerpole]

This is not always the case...there are some instances where a largemouth can have a tooth patch. The absolute way is to close the mouth and see if the jaw bone hinge goes past the eye. If it doesn't, it's a spot. We almost had people come to blows because of the tooth patch. We had a fish at the weigh-in with a tooth patch, but the jaw went past the eye...I think it's almost like a type of cross-breeding.

Regardless, that is a largemouth that you have...no spots up north.

Actually you are correct sir. Largemouth on rare occasions will have a tooth patch which is not normal. Most of the time it's just a dark spot on the tounge. (About 1 in 100) For the sake of creel limits in some states and arguments in the past, most biologist consider any bass with a tooth patch to be a spot. Some spots will also have a jaw that extends slightly passed the eye and the coloration can vary. (Some look allot like a largemouth in coloration)
As for the cross-breeding, biologist have been trying to cross-breed spots and largemouth to see what would happen and so far it has been determined that the chromozones make it impossible to cross-breed. Recently a (New Bass) has been added to the list of spots. It's not really a new bass but it has been added to the list as having it's own species classification as a spot. It's called the Alabama Spot.
Other reasons biologist feel that spots and largemouth don't crossbreed are the way they spawn. The spot mateing dance itself is different and they tend to spawn earlier than the largemouth.
But who's to say what nature has in store?