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9 Species of Black Bass and How to Identify Them
Bass types have a better appetite compared to any other fish, and they are a challenge to the fishing community. An Angler must know beforehand, he is chasing down nine types of Bass fish, and all are carnivorous too. Therefore, he should know the difference between these Bass types. They are:
Since the first discovery of this spotted Black Bass, in 1940, it took a long time till 2008, to determine this was a Bass species. The dorsal fins are away from the lateral blotched on these Bass types. In fact, the lateral stripes are a series of blotches located on the caudal Peduncle.
The dorsal and anal fins are located on top of the scales. The shallow notch has the spiny and soft dorsal fins collected to it. In all, this Bass has a total of ten spines connected to the dorsal fin, and three spines to the anal fin. The lateral line scales could be between 68 to 84 in number.
Although this was spotted in 1822, it was only later; they recognized this Black Bass species as late as 2002. In this Bass, the upper jaw would run past its eye. The lateral scales could vary between 59 to 72, with anal fin having three spines and the dorsal fins nine.
You would find that there is a deep notch where the dorsal fins with spiny and soft rayed join. It is so difficult to identify this species, which only a genetic analysis can determine. Guadalupe was first noticed in 1874. They have lateral line scales running in between 55 to 71. Like most other Bass, they have ten and three spines on their dorsal &anal fins respectively. But this Bass has a tooth patch on its tongue, with the upper jaw not even running close to the middle of the eye. The Lateral stripes are generally ten or twelve, and the spiny soft-rayed dorsal fins connect with a shallow notch between them. Large-mouth Bass ever since its discovery in 1802 has been the most popular. The lateral line scales run in between 59 to 72, and just like any other bass, spines have the same count on their anal and dorsal fins. The notch which joins the spiny and soft rayed dorsal fins is deeper in the Large-mouth Bass. The water turbidity defines the dark mid-lateral stripes. These are freshwater bass and can be found there only. Redeye Bass could have been recognized in 1940 only, but it has five subspecies too. The lateral line scales are in-between 63 to 74, with an upper jaw that does not run beyond its eye. One easy way of identifying them is to look for the small, dark spots that form below the lateral line, and thus form a horizontal row.
Their dorsal fins have approximately ten spines and the anal only 3. The Redeye initially have dark vertical blotches on their side, which vanish as they grow older, but they do not leave even a trace of horizontal bands. Their other peculiarity is the redness with a white margin which appears in the second dorsal, caudal and anal fins. The subspecies are: Quite a recent discovery, the Shoal Bass, initially develops vertical blotches that disappear with time and they have descended from the Red eye species. They have a large number of lateral line scales ranging up to 77, and their dorsal fins along with the anal ones, are eleven and three. They do not have any peculiar red coloration or white margins on their fins which actually is found in the Redeye. But they do possess dark spots below the lateral line, which appear as horizontal rows later. The small-mouth bass was first identified in 1802 and has two subspecies between them. The upper jaw does not run past the eye, but there are three dark bars on either cheek. The Dorsal and anal fins sport eleven and three spines like any other bass, but their lateral line scales could lie in-between 67 to 81 scales. The Smallmouth Bass are not –taxonomically classified subspecies in the Ouachita Mountainous region. The Dorsal and anal fins have scales that are tinier compared to other Bass. After the Spotted bass was classified as such in 1819, they were found to have two subspecies which were the Wichita (Northern and invalidated class). Their lateral line scales run up to 71 from 55, and the dorsal /anal fins have 10 &3 spines respectively.
The upper jaw runs up to the pupil in its eyes, and there are dark blotches that would touch the dorsal fin from a lateral view. It has small scales beneath the dorsal and anal fins, and there is a shallow notch where the spiny and soft –rayed dorsal fins meet. The dark stripes which are horizontal are due to the lower lateral scales. The Suwannee Bass was classified as such in 1949, and it is a short fish compared to other Bass, as it is only 16 inches. The lateral scales lay in-between 57 to 65, and the dorsal fins have 10 spines with the anal fin having 3.
They have 12 lateral blotches which are actually vertical. There is a shallow notch which is formed where the spiny and soft rayed dorsal fins are joined. During their breeding, the breast and cheeks sport a color which is Turquoise. The upper jaw runs up to the central eye but does not extend beyond it.
So, these are the top 9 types of bass fishes. We hope you’ll be able to better identify your catch henceforth. Happy Fishing!
- The Bass species will have rays and spines which different species to species particularly on their fins and dorsal.
- The lateral stripes would differ on their location on the body, in numbers and size.
- The positioning of the jaw would differ in length from the eye region.
- Their lateral lines would have scales. It is the number of scales that would differ.
- The most difficult part of identification is because they indulge in crossbreeding. For example, a Guadalupe bass would breed with a spotted Bass, which needs a genetic analysis, to determine what species it is.
Alabama Bass
Since the first discovery of this spotted Black Bass, in 1940, it took a long time till 2008, to determine this was a Bass species. The dorsal fins are away from the lateral blotched on these Bass types. In fact, the lateral stripes are a series of blotches located on the caudal Peduncle.
The dorsal and anal fins are located on top of the scales. The shallow notch has the spiny and soft dorsal fins collected to it. In all, this Bass has a total of ten spines connected to the dorsal fin, and three spines to the anal fin. The lateral line scales could be between 68 to 84 in number.Florida Bass
Guadalupe Bass
Guadalupe was first noticed in 1874. They have lateral line scales running in between 55 to 71. Like most other Bass, they have ten and three spines on their dorsal &anal fins respectively. But this Bass has a tooth patch on its tongue, with the upper jaw not even running close to the middle of the eye. The Lateral stripes are generally ten or twelve, and the spiny soft-rayed dorsal fins connect with a shallow notch between them.Large-mouth Bass
Large-mouth Bass ever since its discovery in 1802 has been the most popular. The lateral line scales run in between 59 to 72, and just like any other bass, spines have the same count on their anal and dorsal fins. The notch which joins the spiny and soft rayed dorsal fins is deeper in the Large-mouth Bass. The water turbidity defines the dark mid-lateral stripes. These are freshwater bass and can be found there only.Redeye Bass
Redeye Bass could have been recognized in 1940 only, but it has five subspecies too. The lateral line scales are in-between 63 to 74, with an upper jaw that does not run beyond its eye. One easy way of identifying them is to look for the small, dark spots that form below the lateral line, and thus form a horizontal row.
Their dorsal fins have approximately ten spines and the anal only 3. The Redeye initially have dark vertical blotches on their side, which vanish as they grow older, but they do not leave even a trace of horizontal bands. Their other peculiarity is the redness with a white margin which appears in the second dorsal, caudal and anal fins. The subspecies are:- Coosae
- Cahabae
- Chattahoochee
- Tallapoosa
Shoal Bass
Quite a recent discovery, the Shoal Bass, initially develops vertical blotches that disappear with time and they have descended from the Red eye species. They have a large number of lateral line scales ranging up to 77, and their dorsal fins along with the anal ones, are eleven and three. They do not have any peculiar red coloration or white margins on their fins which actually is found in the Redeye. But they do possess dark spots below the lateral line, which appear as horizontal rows later.Small-mouth Bass
The small-mouth bass was first identified in 1802 and has two subspecies between them. The upper jaw does not run past the eye, but there are three dark bars on either cheek. The Dorsal and anal fins sport eleven and three spines like any other bass, but their lateral line scales could lie in-between 67 to 81 scales. The Smallmouth Bass are not –taxonomically classified subspecies in the Ouachita Mountainous region. The Dorsal and anal fins have scales that are tinier compared to other Bass.Spotted Bass
After the Spotted bass was classified as such in 1819, they were found to have two subspecies which were the Wichita (Northern and invalidated class). Their lateral line scales run up to 71 from 55, and the dorsal /anal fins have 10 &3 spines respectively.
The upper jaw runs up to the pupil in its eyes, and there are dark blotches that would touch the dorsal fin from a lateral view. It has small scales beneath the dorsal and anal fins, and there is a shallow notch where the spiny and soft –rayed dorsal fins meet. The dark stripes which are horizontal are due to the lower lateral scales.Suwannee Bass
The Suwannee Bass was classified as such in 1949, and it is a short fish compared to other Bass, as it is only 16 inches. The lateral scales lay in-between 57 to 65, and the dorsal fins have 10 spines with the anal fin having 3.
They have 12 lateral blotches which are actually vertical. There is a shallow notch which is formed where the spiny and soft rayed dorsal fins are joined. During their breeding, the breast and cheeks sport a color which is Turquoise. The upper jaw runs up to the central eye but does not extend beyond it.
So, these are the top 9 types of bass fishes. We hope you’ll be able to better identify your catch henceforth. Happy Fishing!
