Male Vs Female Bass

[Hattrick7]

Is there a way to tell the difference between the two when they're about 2-4 lbs? I've noticed some of the 3lbers I've caught look to have larger tails and am thinking that these may be a characteristic of females.

[Sam]

Not that I know of.

 

Good question. You may want to contact Pure Fishing's research and development department and ask them.

 

Or a biologist with the California game and fisheries department.

 

Let us know what you find out.

[roadwarrior]

No. Without some specific training it is virtually impossible to tell a male

from a female that are the same size.

[kfelton0002]

I've always heard that males have bigger mouths than the females. This is necessary because the males have to guard the nest/eggs/fry and will inhale and crush to death bluegill, frogs, turtles, and anything he thinks will harm his offspring with his mouth. I'm not sure if I'm sold on this or not though. Males don't usually get over 6-8 pounds max and are usually leaner especially during the spawn because all of his efforts are spent on protecting the nest. Female bass fatten up prespawn to nourish the developing eggs, they find a male's nest they like, lay their eggs, they may stick around for a few days and then they leave. Males create the nest in tjd sand with their tails, fertilize the eggs, guard the eggs and then guard the fry for a month or so. It's no wonder the males are smaller!

[speed craw]

Short of catching them leaving the toilet seat up , your guess is as good as mine . 

[Catch and Grease]

Clean em and see if it has eggs... Really only way I can tell.

[flyingmonkie]

Can you not tell by shape of their bottom lip?  I've always used this technique and thought it was pretty accurate.  On male bass, the bottom lip has is more pointy, and on female bass, the bottom lip is very rounded off.  

 

I thought this was the de facto tale-tell - regardless of age/size?

[flyingmonkie]

 

Put this together in MSPaint real quick as I couldn't find anything on a quick Google search.  Am I way off base here?

[WRB]

Is there a way to tell the difference between the two when they're about 2-4 lbs? I've noticed some of the 3lbers I've caught look to have larger tails and am thinking that these may be a characteristic of females.

Bass, fresh water largemouth or salt water calico?

Tail size differences between 2 bass the same length could indicate a younger verses older fish, the older fish having a larger size. Length to weight ratio, a 18" bass weighing 3 lbs vs a 16" bass weighing 3 lbs, the shorter heavier bass from the same lake is usually a female. LMB over 4 lbs are, with few exceptions, female. During pre spawn to spawn females have eggs, males milt, otherwise no easy visual differences.

In SoCal we have both NLMB and FLMB, Florida's grow much faster and have heavier body to weight ratio's.

Tom

[Hattrick7]

Bass, fresh water largemouth or salt water calico?

Tail size differences between 2 bass the same length could indicate a younger verses older fish, the older fish having a larger size. Length to weight ratio, a 18" bass weighing 3 lbs vs a 16" bass weighing 3 lbs, the shorter heavier bass from the same lake is usually a female. LMB over 4 lbs are, with few exceptions, female. During pre spawn to spawn females have eggs, males milt, otherwise no easy visual differences.

In SoCal we have both NLMB and FLMB, Florida's grow much faster and have heavier body to weight ratio's.

Tom

 

Freshwater LMB. I always thought the larger tails were sort of like puppies with big paws indicating that the dog would eventually grow into them. 

[Hattrick7]

 

 

 

Put this together in MSPaint real quick as I couldn't find anything on a quick Google search.  Am I way off base here?

 

Interesting. If true would be a good way to know. 

[BigMoneyGrip]

I think the "outlet" port on the male is round and the female is more oval or oblong.

[flyingmonkie]

Ok... so now I'm really curious.

 

To start with, I browsed a few other forums to substantiate my bottom-lip structure theory.  I'm not crazy, other people claim it's accurate.

 

That being said, I caught a bass not an hour ago (during lunch break ) that had the jaw of what i thought would be a male, however, the vent was red and protruding.  Should be way too late here for any spawn activity... what could cause a bass to have hemorrhoids, other than laying eggs or milting?  It did have a good belly on it, but looked like a food belly.  I didn't squeeze. 

[WRB]

The anal vent tail end of the area without scales is oval on most females and round on most males, not all.

Female LMB spawn a few times and not all bass spawn at the same time, usually the spawn cycle last about 3 months and it takes several weeks to recover fully.

Tom

[frantzracing0]

I've always heard that males have bigger mouths than the females. This is necessary because the males have to guard the nest/eggs/fry and will inhale and crush to death bluegill, frogs, turtles, and anything he thinks will harm his offspring with his mouth. I'm not sure if I'm sold on this or not though. Males don't usually get over 6-8 pounds max and are usually leaner especially during the spawn because all of his efforts are spent on protecting the nest. Female bass fatten up prespawn to nourish the developing eggs, they find a male's nest they like, lay their eggs, they may stick around for a few days and then they leave. Males create the nest in tjd sand with their tails, fertilize the eggs, guard the eggs and then guard the fry for a month or so. It's no wonder the males are smaller!

 

 

Show me any bass crushing a turtle and ill sell ya an ocean front property in ohio

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Ever see Crocodile Dundee?????

[kfelton0002]

Show me any bass crushing a turtle and ill sell ya an ocean front property in ohio

They may not be successful at crushing the turtle but they will indeed eat turtles.  I've seen bass regurgitate baby turtles.  The point I was making is that they will try to kill any invader to the nest. 

[Mike L]

Ive been told that the shape of the lip and anal opening are only indicator's and not absolutes.

The only sure way to know is to inspect the anal canal itself...If it is angled the bass is a male, if more verticle a female. Again, just what Ive been told.

Mike

[flyingmonkie]

Ive been told that the shape of the lip and anal opening are only indicator's and not absolutes.

The only sure way to know is to inspect the anal canal itself...If it is angled the bass is a male, if more verticle a female. Again, just what Ive been told.

Mike

 

I guess I don't care THAT much.

[BASS959]

I generally figure about any bass I catch on a flashy spinner bait with a skirt is a male bass. They aren't much different than any male. If we find anything flashy and wearing a skirt  we will chase it.

[OroBass]

Haha