Chief Grey Bear

It must have not all come over. It didn't see where is spoke of the Micropterus dolomieu velox.

I would like that. I would love to read some of the critera. They let just you come along side the boat? So my first impression.... now means my opinion? I'll have to remember that when I first look at something. BTW did I tell you there was no tooth patch?

Where is the rest of it Mitch?

Do you have a link to this study? Not saying it ain't true, I have never talked to anyone that knows of any DNA studies done on these fish in recent times. In the last 20 or 30 years would qualify as resent times.

Arrrrrrrgh!

Sorry for the extra post. I tried redoing the pics in the oat but couldn't. Hopefully these are better for you.

If obvious there are no degrees in English. It has been stated many times now he did not ID the fish as a Spot. But you boys are sure on hung up on that. I think you are right about the experience. The newest one has only done it for 22 years now. Probably not near long enough. And it's not hard to get a straight answer from any of them. They just are a little reluctant to make fact from a picture. I really don't have the problem with that that you guys seem to. I certainly wouldn't be questioning the knowledge and credentials of a person or persons that do this for a living instead of on weekends and the internet. Since you have a masters and do ID minnows, can you tell me which on of these fish is a Northern and which is a Neosho?

Dammit Mitch!!! Now you play along or you don't play at all!

Yeah I can't wait until we all are packing a Jr. Biologist kit in our tackle boxes. I just hope they are as full proof and as easy to use as those crack kits the cops pack around! Drop a scale on the pouch, this color is this, that color is that!

Well there you go. He is an idiot. Even though it must look somewhat like a spotted bass or no one would have called it a hybrid. But you know what they say about first impressions...

That is great. Was it caught in the first few cast?

If you will recall Mitch, in that inital correspondence he stated, "My first impression is it looks like a Spotted Bass...." which is apparently your impression too as you call it a hybrid. Without having the fish in hand, all they will say is it appears that it might have hybrid type characteristics. And they also all stated as Al did about changes in appearance. Which we all knew. The terms possible, could be and may be, are not real strong commitments. Saying it looks like it could be one and it is one are two different statments. And it is that experience, which you seem to think they lack, that keeps them from making a possitive determination. Fish can take on many different characteristics that can make them appear one way or the other. I am sure they have seen far more smallmouth than most of us in their careers and that maybe why they won't put a definite determination on it. I havent' said one way or the other either. And I won't. You jus like to argue with anything I say.

I don't disagree at all. Except for the three biologist I sent it to. Can't get them to commit one way or the other.

Nope. But as you can see there is a vast and distinct diversity in markings among fish of the same species in the same waters. Is that fish a hybrid? It is certainly a possibility. It certainly has some markings that can make for a valid argument. Some of those same markings though, I find missing in other photos posted here that also claim to be hybrids. So short of a DNA test, I guess we will never know. All we really have are opinions. And we all know what we think about my opinions.

That is just exactly what the alleged hybrid succumbed to. I don't mind the scent too much. They do have a ton of it on them. Personally, I don't think it lasts very long. A couple of cast and it is mostly gone. They for sure are not near as oily. I am not really sold on scents anyway. I think it is just a marketing gimick.

All of the fish I showed are from the exact same river. All with in less than 10 miles.

Just one more for fun.

Here they are on same post.

No tricks. Mitch can attest to that. I was just going to post the first pic. But as I looked at others from the same stream, I thought it became important to add them as well.

Last one for consideration. Same river. Last three caught same day.

Still same river

Same river. Now in the first pic, there seems to be a lat line. Pic #2 has what could be a very, very faint lat line. Pic#3 has distinctive markings. The question is are these just faint differences in the same fish? I'm sure Al would agree that there can be great differences in same species. Take the Shadow bass for example. Even Largemouth and Spots can very from time of year and quality of water.

Different fish same water same day. Hybrid?

Can anyone properly identify this fish?