What Kind of Bass Are These?

[goosejetski]

Was fishing a small creek in southwestern Pennsylvania and caught a couple of these little bass. However, I can not tell what kind of bass they are. Anyone here think they know? My first guess was largemouth but their lateral lines are well defined and their jaws did not seem as big.

[Steveo-1969]

Largemouth

[TnRiver46]

LM

[WRB]

Northern strain spotted bass.

[goosejetski]

4 minutes ago, WRB said:

Northern strain spotted bass.

How can you tell?

[12poundbass]

I’d guess a spot too. It doesn’t appear the ‘hinge’ of the mouth extends to or past the eye. 
 

That being said the picture isn’t focused on the mouth and the mouth is open. 

[fishingtx]

either a spot or a very pretty creek LM

[WRB]

Spotted bass are named for the dark spot at the base of the tail, clear on the juvenile bass photo. Location, indicated the species is northern strain.

The photo doesn’t show the jaw location vs the eye, the dorsal fin connected or no mention of teeth on the tongue.

Coloration isn’t the base identifier, all the above would help.

Tom

[InfantryMP]

Yea the rough patch on the tongue is a very good indicator of a spotted bass. 

[TnRiver46]

Nothing about this bass looks like a spotted bass , it’s a largemouth. Lord help us all 

24 minutes ago, goosejetski said:

How can you tell?

It’s not a spot . You can tell by several factors 

[CM-fisher]

Largemouth for sure

[Deleted account]

Snook.   

[Kenny Yi]

3 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

Snook.   

Striper actually... the stripe on the side proves it

[soflabasser]

The fish you are holding in your hands is a Northern strain largemouth bass.

[MN Fisher]

Both of those are juvenile Largemouths.

[CM-fisher]

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Both of those are juvenile Largemouths.

Yes. I just caught some juveniles just like that while fishing for crappie

[J Francho]

Babies. 

[Alex from GA]

I catch spotted bass/Alabamas several times a week and those are LM.  Again pictures with the mouth closed are the best way to tell along with the tongue patch or lack of.

[Tennessee Boy]

Looks like a LM to me.  Southwest PA is at the extreme edge of the Spotted Bass range.

 

[soflabasser]

Largemouth bass can also have a tooth patch so a bass with a tooth patch is not always a spotted bass. Best way to indentify a largemouth bass is to see if the jaw passes the eye. There are plenty of pictures online that show how to identify black bass species. 

[waymont]

LMB for sure.

[ironbjorn]

They're largemouth. Nothing about those fish says spotted bass, and where they were caught isn't even within their living range as indicated above. Nothing against Tom, but I've often seen him confuse the two species when lurking before joining.

[Jig Man]

Even the body shape is nothing like a spot.  I catch them nearly every trip.

[Bluebasser86]

They're LMB. The tooth patch is not a 100% sure way to ID them either so don't use that as a surefire way to tell what they are either. 

 

 

[WRB]

The top photo looks more like a NLMB after looking at it closely, the fins, no scales and broken lateral line. Can’t tell were the jaw vs eye is.

The small bass in the lower photo isn’t as easy, it appears to have fin scales and solid unbroken lateral line. It’s a juvenile bass so not clearly defined. 

The op can clear things up if he noticed the dorsal fin being separated or not.  Teeth on the tongue is common in Spots, rare in LMB and we have no Idea with these photos.

Tom

PS, Caution LMB In Mexico tend to have sharp teeth!