I live in Mid-Michigan and I fish a neighborhood pond.  I just got serious about bass fishing and I am catching fish that look like spots.  I didn't think they lived this far north. Will somebody help me out and tell me if spots live in the northern waters.  Thanks.

If the bass have teeth on it's tongue, it's a spotted bass.

WRB

Look for two tooth patches on the roof of the mouth. Also, a spotted bass' jawline does not extend past the eye like a largemouth's jaw.

Another difference is in the dorsal fin.  Largemouths' dorsal fins dip down in the middle and almost look like two different fins while a spot's dorsal will clearly be attached and be one solid fin

Not all spotted bass have a tooth patch on the tounge, but if it has one it is a spot. If it does not have one then it usually has a darkened spot on the tounge where it should be. The dorsel fin mentioned above and the jaw not hinging behind the eye like the largemouth also mentioned is the best indicators that it's a spot. You may notice different colorations, eyes, ect. But those two are a dead giveaway.

Spotted bass are not found in Michigan:

http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Micropterus+Punctulatus+

8-)

Also, the lateral line, along with many other spots surrounding that, is also a give away.  Where you find them could also be a dead give away.  Largemouth seem to keep to structure, including trees, under lilly pads, and usually near, or under docks, or other man made structures.  A spotted bass will look for deeper water, but can be found in shallower water when spawning.  The color variations are also dead give aways.

Largemouth:

Golden olive, to a deep forest green, with a single lateral line.  Depending on water color, the lighter the scales, the more murky the water is, I.E. not as much light getting through.  The darker, the more light in the water, meaning it's almost, or is completely clear.

Spotted:

Same goes for the spotted bass, but you will notice that many of them are darker in color because of the fact that they tend to go wherever the water is best, which is usually a clearer water, further out towards the middle of the lake.  Also, the bottom jaw only extends to the front of the eye, not the middle, like a largemouth.  The spotted bass, is also not nearly as large as the largemouth bass.  They typically don't reach sizes above 8lbs, but you, "WILL" probably find one bigger, depends on the water conditions, the age of the fish, etc.  We actually had someone catch one recently, that was almost 10 lbs!  That's a huge spot, to me at least...

Hope some of that information helps.  I have had the same question as how to identify the fish too, as we have largemouth, and spotted, and a Florida hybrid strain, out here on Clear Lake, Ca..  Just look for those similarities when you catch a fish, and you should be able to recognize them rather quickly.

ciao, Wickyman

Thanks for all the help.  I really appreciate it.

You got a lot of conflicting info on this post.

Smallmouth have connected dorsal fins and their jaw to eye alignment is similar to the spotted bass. The spotted bass has a patch of teeth on it's tongue, all bass have fine teeth on the roof of their mouths. Coloration changes with locale, however similar to LMB.

You are more then likely catching smallmouth or northern strain largemouth bass where you live. Smallmouth are brownish and largemouth greenish color.

http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/fish/bassblack/spotted/

WRB