Okay so look at this bass, odd spots along the lateral line of the fish, different jaw structure. It's probably a largemouth but that pattern is really rare in my area. Most of the bass where I live have this pattern.. See the difference? Can anyone explain to me why they look so different?

NOTE: The bass in the second picture was released, the stringer was for picture taking purposes.

I'm more impressed you caught something on the Live Target bluegill. I've never caught anything on mine.

I'm more impressed you caught something on the Live Target bluegill. I've never caught anything on mine.

This lure works for me haha

I see no major structural differences, I see no anatomical differences. I see color phase and lateral line shift. There's a very simple answer, one which can be summed up in a single word- Genetics.

I see no major structural differences, I see no anatomical differences. I see color phase and lateral line shift. There's a very simple answer, one which can be summed up in a single word- Genetics.

But what about the fish?

Looks like a Largemouth Bass. Here is spot caught last weekend.

Like Hooligan said, it's a largemouth with something in it's genetics that gave it odd coloration.

Potomac river never stops amazing me.

But what about the fish?

You crack me up, man.

Largemouth, for sure

Could just be the water. The only bass that I catch are largemouth and most of the time there is no pattern. They are just dark dark green.

WV has a lot of bass like that the variations of patterns depend where fish at because i can show some variations in the fish i catch because every hole of water that i cathc one they are different. I think because the water(clear-murky).

I'm more impressed you caught something on the Live Target bluegill. I've never caught anything on mine.

I second that. Never. Not even a nibble.

I second that. Never. Not even a nibble.

haha, you aren't using it right then. I've got 100's on em!

I always thought there was two different strains of Largemouth Bass and one strains pattern was just more definitive than the other strain's.

looks like a normal largemouth. bass in thick weeds look different than bass in open water.. bass in clear water look different than bass in murky water. bass in a dark bottomed bay look different than bass in clear rocky deep water. fish of all kinds are able to change their appearance to better blend in to their surroundings.

stop keeping bass .

Well, it looks like a spot to me, going by the lateral line markings and the mouth size.

Hi, I'm new here, like 15 minutes ago. I've lurked here but joined up now because I wanted to see the pictures in this thread. I live in Iowa but my local lake, MacBride, has stocked Kentucky bass for the last 40 years and I've caught a fair few of them over the years. At first, all I knew was that I caught some bass that looked a little different and fought like a smally. Finally somebody told me how to tell the difference.

Rub your finger over the tongue. Both have a little brown bump on their tongue. On a largemouth, it will be fairly smooth. On a Kentucky spotted it will be rough like a Brillo pad.