Greetings and I apologize if this isn't the right forum to ask but I was wondering if anyone could help me identify these fish I caught today from the shore(Kentucky). My dad taught me all this stuff as a kid but I let it slip away. From what I remember the best feature to use to tell a largemouth from smallmouth bass is the black line. I sort of see one in the second fish but to be honest they sort of look the same too. Thanks in advance!

 

Those are both Largemouth Bass. A very easy way to tell the difference is by looking at the mouth. When closed, a Smallmouth Bass's mouth will not extend back behind the fish's eye, whereas a Largemouth bass's mouth will extend behind it's eye.

Those are both Largemouth Bass. A very easy way to tell the difference is by looking at the mouth. When closed, a Smallmouth Bass's mouth will not extend back behind the fish's eye, whereas a Largemouth bass's mouth will extend behind it's eye.

Yep. A largemouth Bass. I usually first look at the coloration (i.e. no stripes), and if that doesn't work, look at the jaw.

Definitely not a smallmouth. Kind of hard to tell if it is a spotted bass (aka Kentucky) or a largemouth. If it has a tooth patch on its tongue, its a spot. Its hard to tell by looking at the mouth alone.

They're both largemouth bass, and based on their lack of coloration,

they appear like bass from a murky body of water.

 

Roger

Hey thanks guys. I think I got it: look at jaw first, coloration second.  Am I correct in thinking if it has the horizontal strip and the jaw doesn't extend past eye, it would be spotted bass? Or should I look into the mouth at that point?

I've always been taught that if it has a tooth patch on its tongue, it's a spot. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I've always been taught that if it has a tooth patch on its tongue, it's a spot. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

The tooth patch is hit or miss. I've caught largemouth that had rough spots on their tongues. The bottom jaw extended past the back of the eye is the method I usually go with.