Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass Difference in LMB and Spotted Bass

In our pond some bass look different than others. Some are LMB and some I am not sure. They seem to have bigger teeth, actually will take skin off you thumb. My wife wears gloves before thumbing them. I have read the differences but can not tell. This is one that seems to have a smaller mouth. What do you think?

Not a spotted bass. Spotted bass have a noticeable gap between the spiny and soft dorsal fins. Your fish does not.

Tongue would also have a dark patch of very small teeth.

Thanks for the reply. I did not think they were spotted bass, but I don't think I have seen one before.
John

Smallmouth Black bass look very spotted when young. I have seen them in the north look like a leopard with so many spots. There is no gap between the spiky dorsal fin and the soft dorsal fin.

Cheers Don.

Not always a good indicator as a small percentage of LMB also have tounge tooth patches. At my dad's old pond roughly 25% of the LMB had it. I do take note of tounge tooth patches when fishing and see it often enough on on plain old LMB that I wouldn't use it to distinguish spotted bass from LMB, see CJB's note. Spots are very uncommon in Nebraska.

Here's a largemouth up against some spotted bass.

Interesting... Do they always have that almost second lateral line?

Some fun yak fishin'!

In my opinion, that is a largemouth. The mouth appears to be smaller to you because of the nice pot belly on that one. Pretty fish!