Meanmouth!

[everythingthatswims]

I finally got one. My friend and I were fishing on the Mon River here in Morgantown this evening, messing around catching little bass on ned rigs, and when I flipped one in the boat I noticed he looked like a smallmouth but had a funny body shape. Got to looking and found a tooth patch! If that's not enough for someone, I texted the fisheries professor and he told me to freeze a fin clipping so we can get genetic testing done on the little guy

 

(after hanging out in the livewell)

[Bluebasser86]

They're a neat fish. Lots of them in Table Rock anymore. I caught a keeper mean last time I was there. I was a keeper spot away from a Table Rock Super Slam that day (keeper spot, largemouth, smallmouth, and meanmouth).

[TnRiver46]

Nice fish, they are also common in the Tennessee river nowadays

[roadwarrior]

I wouldn't say "common". I have caught two in 20 years.

 

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

I wouldn't say "common". I have caught two in 20 years.

 

I reckon they are more common on the eastern end of the river. I only had to go back to July 23 to find the most recent one in my photos, I catch a good many yellow perch in the TN river so I guess it's a little different habitat this far upstream. I also watched a scott martin video on YouTube fishing below wheeler dam with David something, a big time smallmouth tournament angler and guide. Apparently he catches a lot of 5-6 lb meanmouth and some even bigger.