Bass Identification

Largemouth bass

Cheek scales same size as rest of body scales, Green with dark horizontal stripe, Without rows of dark spots, Upper jaw extends beyond back of eye, Smooth tongue, Dorsal fins not well connected

Spotted bass

Cheek scales much smaller than rest of body scales, Green with dark horizontal stripe, Rows of dark spots, Upper jaw does not extend beyond back of eye, Tongue has rough patch

More Description - Is similar in appearance to the largemouth bass. Has green to olive-green hue; white, mottled belly; and a broad stripe of broken blotches, usually diamond-shaped, along the midline of the body. Unlike the largemouth, the spotted bass has scales on the base portion of the second dorsal fin; its first and second dorsal fin are clearly connected, and its upper jaw does not extend past the eye. Above the lateral line there are dark markings, and below the lateral line the scales have dark bases that give rise to the linear rows of small spots which are responsible for the common name.