So I've been fishing at a local pond here in Manitoba catching bass. What has been bugging me though is nobody seems to know which bass they are, some people say they're largemouth, others say largies can't live in the cold so it must be smallies. I've developed the opinion that they are spotted bass, but I have no one to back up that opinion. So I'd like to know what you guys think, sorry I can't post the picture directly, stupid iPad. Here's the link though.

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc487/J_MIL_20/9494b54b.jpg

The dorsal fin connection looks to be too small for a spot, but it is hard to really tell. Does he have a rough spot on his tongue, or lines on the white part of his belly? To help see the color pattern, try puttting a bass (in water) in a white plastic container and look down at his back. A spot will have blotchy green spots on his back, like a camo pattern. The white container helps show the color differences.

Looks like the dorsal fins are slightly separated, judging by the dark of your jacket showing through it. I'm going with largemouth.

The easiest way to tell is the mouth, but you have to have it closed to check, spotted have a similar jawline like smallies, where the mouth doesn't go far beyond the eye, whereas largest jawline goes well beyond it

It's a LM. Manitoba is WAY out of the range for spotted bass.

http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?speciesid=397

Ok, thanks guys, I really am a newb when it comes to bass. Last year was my first opportunity to catch any bass at all. But I will be going out again this weekend, I'll get some more detailed pictures to confirm the identity.

Oh as a side note, the inside of all of the bass mouths is like sandpaper. I don't know if that makes a difference or not. The mouth size seems to be similar to the smallies I've caught. But again, I will get pictures with the mouth closed and of the belly.

That's a Largemouth and most spots have orange eyes in NC.

I may not be right but it may be a largemouth smallmouth hybrid. It has the stripe but the mouth is small for a largemouth.

Looks like a not-yet-filleted fish to me........

......somebody had to......

Just a very healthy largemouth........fish look like that from a few of my local spots this time of year, big body and a little head.

Im going 99% normal ol LM.

NGaHB

Northern strain largemouth.

The EASIEST way to determine if a Bass is a Spotted Bass or Largemouth is to hold the fish with it's mouth fully closed.

Now look at where the rearmost hingepoint of the mouth is; on a Spotted Bass that hingepoint will be forward of the Bass's eye.

If it is a Largemouth, that hingepoint will be behind the eye.

Secondly, open the fish's mouth, and look on the tongue...if you see an elongated small area about the width of a sharpie pen mark wide [and maybe about a 1/2" to 3/4" long] lengthwise on the center of the tongue the color of a tobacco stain, it is a Spotted Bass.

No stain...it's a LM.

Definitely not a LM/SM Hybrid...

Check with Manatobs MNR. Are there largemouth in the Province. If so you have your answer.

Caught another bass, here's some more detailed pictures

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc487/J_MIL_20/bb167d25.jpg

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc487/J_MIL_20/27533a9e.jpg

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc487/J_MIL_20/da8914b3.jpg

Dude, they're largemouths. Nice catch, congrats!

Looks like a largemouth to me...Here's a good ID key.

http://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/fish-catch/fish-id/bass-identification

You don't need a key, the only species of black bass in Manitoba are smallmouth and largemouth. The fish in the pics are largemouth.