2 nice fish from a big river tributary

[BronzebackWarrior]

caught on original minnow color rapala on consecutive casts, heard a bigger one feeding under a large flooded root ball. had action from small spotted bass and could see larger ones in the school but they were finicky in the clear water, the river was backed up just enough into the creek to make it good fishing, was only their 3 hours prolly caught 6 spots a 12 inch small mouth and 2 sunfish plus those decent ones that went right back into the water after these pics . hot day cool water shade and good fishing caught on july 10 i think

[Mitch f]

First one is a hybrid

[Jerry Rapp]

First one is a hybrid

that is what I thought. Does that make it a Meanmouth?

[drew03cmc]

that is what I thought. Does that make it a Meanmouth?

To the best of my knowledge it does.

[Al Agnew]

Meanmouth? Yes and no. People have been calling the smallmouth x spotted hybrids meanmouths for a while, but the original meanmouth was a laboratory cross between a smallmouth and a largemouth. It was named that because the hybrids were typically super aggressive, supposedly even attacking fingers and toes when they were stuck in the tanks. They were sterile, and it was being considered to stock them in a few places just to make for really easy bass to catch. But it was too much trouble getting them raised to stocking size. Largemouth x smallmouth hybrids apparently never happen in the wild. Smallmouth x spotted hybrids are fertile and will back cross with either species.

[fishinwrench]

There is a serious rod/reel foul going on there. How does that work?

[brother dave]

Nice fish

[Jerry Rapp]

thanks for the info Al, I didn't know the history. And Wrench, I now see exactly what you mean. I tried that once in an emergency, didn't work very well for me.

[BronzebackWarrior]

so that first one is a smallie x spotted ? i kinda thought it had those perpendicular lines but it stilll had smallie features also. lol yea i need to get a better reel to go with that rod it hasnt given me much trouble as of yet other then looking a little mismatched.

[Mitch f]

There is a serious rod/reel foul going on there. How does that work?

The ole upside down baitcaster spinning reel.

Nice fish though