the difference between northern and florida bass?

[.dsaavedra.]

hey, i didnt want to hijack the recent thread, but it made me wonder...

how can you tell the difference between northern and florida strain bass?

me being in maryland im pretty sure all of my bass are northern, but i'd still like to know how to tell the difference.

thanks

[Guest muddy]

Florida bass are all retired and spawn around Bingo Halls

[Hooked_On_Bass]

^ ^

[Pigsticker]

I saw a show a long time ago that was showing northern strain bass with yellowish tint on their bellies. Although i have never caught a northern strain largemouth before except a few 2 lbers on a road trip awhile back.

Then i caught some some bass from a pond here in virginia and the fish had complete yellow guts. i  knew those bass were florida strains because a ranger told me who knew the pond for 30 yrs. I found out that tannic water will stain white guts on LMs so much for that idea :

But i think in temperment and geographic location u could roughly guessimate if it is a northern or florida. Like deadsticking stickbaits works very well on floridas and moving stickbaits faster would work better for northerns

[BrianinMD]

Not sure of the difference the one thing I noticed here in Maryland at Little Seneca Lake (Black Hills Regional Park) is the bass seem to only want very slow retrieves. I have yet to get anything worthwhile on swim baits. All my good fish have come from very very slow retrieves on carolina rigged plastics. Wonder if its just pressure, until this year I was fishing from the shore and there is a lot of people around. Now I have my boat wonder how much this will change when I get away from the heavy pressure areas.

[Perfect Hook Set]

Some info I found which may help

One trend in largemouth bass management is the stocking of Florida-strain largemouth bass. When conditions are appropriate, Florida bass grow larger and faster than do northern-strain bass.  According to some scientists, "Florida bass" (as they're commonly called) are a separate species, but **their appearance is so similar to that of the northern-strain bass is so close**

With the appearance in the 1970s of bass approaching and exceeding 20 pounds, California proved what Florida bass stocking can do under the proper conditions. The state soon started stocking Florida bass in lakes and rivers all over California.

Texas soon followed suit. Lake Fork was impounded in 1980 and stocked with Florida bass. The lake had completely filled in 1985, and by the late '80s was one of the hottest largemouth fisheries on the planet, with double-digit largemouths being caught on a daily basis and anglers from around the world flocking to the lake with the expectation of catching the fish of a lifetime. Texas officials then started stocking Florida bass around their state.

Now all the Gulf Coast states have stocked Florida bass to some degree, and other states, from Arizona to Oklahoma to South Carolina to Arkansas, also have active Florida bass stocking programs.

Florida-strain Largemouth Bass

In southern United States reservoirs this genetic strain of largemouth bass has produced record-sized fish. Pond results have not been as productive. Florida-strain largemouth bass are less temperature tolerant than our native, northern-strain largemouth. Since temperature effects in ponds can occur quicker and last longer, the effect of winter temperatures can wipe out a pond owner's attemp to produce trophy Floridastrain largemouth bass. It is much more productive to stock northern-strain largemouth bass and manage your pond for big bass

There are 2 subspecies of largemouth bass: the Florida

largemouth and the northern largemouth.  The Florida

strain of largemouth existed in Florida originally, but with

stocking programs, they are now found in most of the

south and they are very prevalent in California and

Texas.  Florida strain largemouth don't live as long as

northern strain largemouths, but they grow much faster

and bigger.  The typical florida strain largemouth should

get up to 10 to 12 pounds compared to 6 to 8 pounds for

the northern strain largemouth.  If the waters provide

good structure, with a good food supply and a long

growing season, florida strain largemouth bass can weigh

over 20 pounds whereas, the northern strain largemouth

rarely exceeds 10 pounds.

[Micro]

Florida bass are all retired and spawn around Bingo Halls

I almost spit my spit out on that one!   ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Bassn Blvd]

Southern strain say yes mam and please while Northern strain smell like a Salomi roll.

[George Welcome]

Subspecies - Two are recognized: the northern largemouth (M. s. salmoides) and the Florida largemouth (M. s. floridanus). The two look much the same, but the Florida largemouth has 69-73 scales along the lateral line compared to the northern largemouth's 59-65 scales. Florida bass grow to trophy size more readily than northern largemouth in warm waters.

Range - Originally, the Florida largemouth was found only in peninsular Florida, but they have been stocked in several other states including Texas and California. Pure northern largemouth bass are not found in Florida. Genetic intergrades between the subspecies, however, occur throughout north Florida.

Range to guarantee a Florida largemouth - northernmost extreme follows the Florida weather line which extends from Tampa to Melbourne. Any bass north of that line are either F1 integrades or will soon be.

[jrhennecke]

Florida bass are all retired and spawn around Bingo Halls

Too Funny!

[MA1232]

Florida bass are all retired and spawn around Bingo Halls

HAHAHAHA

That is just too much!

LOL!

[Ky_Lake_Dude]

Florida bass are all retired and spawn around Bingo Halls

[goldenone7710]

Yep, F1 Hybrid Largemouths are a interbred combination of Florida and northern strain LMB. We have a local 505 acre reservior stocked with F1's. The State DNR said is wasn't uncommon for these to reach 16ish lbs. Now here's the kicker...they won't allow anyone to fish this place from a boat....YET! They've promised they would, but they've been promising for 4 years. The lake is approximately 7-8 years old right now. Everyone knows, if there's not a sizeable dent put in the population, the over-all sizes will suffer. I understand the Florida strain are a bit more aggresive when feeding, and the northern strain can thrive longer between meals. If/when the day comes when this place is open to public boaters, it 'should' be a haven for trophy bass....but they need to hurry.