Smallmouth Or...............

[Mitch f]

This monster smallmouth caught out in California looks like it's at least part hybrid to me, what are your thoughts?

http://www.trophybassonly.com/id226.htm

[zipstick]

This monster smallmouth caught out in California looks like it's at least part hybrid to me, what are your thoughts?

http://www.trophybassonly.com/id226.htm

THat lateral line looks suspicious for a true smallie.

[eric1978]

THat lateral line looks suspicious for a true smallie.

It does, but I don't think they have Kentuckies out there (do they?), and SM don't hybridize with LM, so what would it be crossed with? Incredible fish either way though.

[Mitch f]

It does, but I don't think they have Kentuckies out there (do they?), and SM don't hybridize with LM, so what would it be crossed with? Incredible fish either way though.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought it WAS possible for a SM to hybridize with a LM

[jdmidwest]

It looks like they have all 3 species. Largemouth, smallies, and spotted. Smallmouth hybridize with spotted bass creating a bass called "mean mouth Bass".

3 types of bass in Kalifornia.

I agree with others that the bass does not look like any smallie I have caught. But they take on different colors based on water color, temps, bottom structure, or agitation.

[eric1978]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought it WAS possible for a SM to hybridize with a LM

I didn't think they could, but I'm no biologist. The rows of stripes on it make it look like a meanmouth to me...I just didn't know they had Ks in CA, but evidently they do, so that would be my guess. Awesome fish.

[RSBreth]

This monster smallmouth caught out in California looks like it's at least part hybrid to me, what are your thoughts?

http://www.trophybas...y.com/id226.htm

Something's either is a hybrid or it isn't - you can't have a fish that is just "part hybrid".

Anyway, it's old news and Chris let it go anyway, so...

just bored with cold weather and not much fishing hmmm?

If you really want to know - email Chris - he will shoot you back an answer, he's a great guy.

[Mitch f]

Something either is a hybrid or it isn't - you can't have a fish that is just "part hybrid".

Anyway, it's old news and Chris let it go anyway, so...

just bored with cold weather and not much fishing hmmm?

If you really want to know - email Chris - he will shoot you back an answer, he's a great guy.

Understand, what I meant was it may not have 50-50. Anyway I'm pretty sure it's not 100 percent smallie.

What would get interesting is if that bass would grow another few ounces and become a record, would it hold up as a smallmouth record.

sorry to bore you with old news

[RSBreth]

Understand, what I meant was it may not have 50-50. Anyway I'm pretty sure it's not 100 percent smallie.

What would get interesting is if that bass would grow another few ounces and become a record, would it hold up as a smallmouth record.

sorry to bore you with old news

No - I'm sorry because I'm bored and cranky - stuck at the in-laws where all the people want to talk about is football.. (yawn).

I need to fish, too!

[Al Agnew]

I think they are going to be sorely disappointed if they catch that fish again and turn it in as a state record smallmouth, as they said they hoped to do next year. It is NOT a pure smallmouth. Looks like a spotted/smallmouth hybrid to me, with more smallie that spotted genetics...probably a back cross of a first generation hybrid and a pure smallmouth, in other words, 3/4 smallmouth. But the way the blotches form a horizontal stripe on the side means it isn't a pure smallmouth. They just don't ever take on such a color pattern.

Standard lesson, from all I've read and studied...smallmouth readily hybridize with spotted bass in the wild, and the hybrids are fertile. Smallmouth do not cross with largemouth in the wild, but can be crossed in a laboratory. Largemouth/smallmouth hybrids are not fertile, I believe (not completely sure). The original "meanmouth" was a lab cross between a smallmouth and largemouth. They were experimentally stocked in some lake somewhere, and were found to be extremely aggressive, even to the point of attacking the toes and fingers of swimmers. Hence the name "meanmouth". But in recent years the naturally occurring smallmouth/spotted bass hybrids have taken on the name of meanmouth, even though they are no more aggressive nor any harder fighters than their parent species.