Odd Bass Pattern, Possible Spotted Bass?

[outdoorsman110]

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.

[slonezp]

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

[outdoorsman110]

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

[Hooligan]

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.

[J Francho]

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?

[lkn4bss]

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

[Bluebasser86]

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

[outdoorsman110]

Potomac river never stops amazing me.

[Hooligan]

But what about the fish?

You crack me up, man.

[BassinSoldier]

Largemouth, for sure

[John G]

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.

[Mountain Angler]

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).

[Caver]

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.

[outdoorsman110]

I second that. Never. Not even a nibble.

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

[TommLew10]

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

[robdob]

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.

[robdob]

stop keeping bass .

[bassman284]

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.