What do y’all think this is?

[ad28]

Let me get yalls thoughts.

 

[scn]

A bass.

 

[rifle02]

Looks like a fish of some sort. Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[redblood]

Ditch pickle

 

[ad28]

It's not a regular largemouth and it's not a spot.

 

[TDW05]

Looks like a largemouth to me.

 

[CATCHDAWG]

Tooth patch?

 

[ad28]

No

 

[TN Larry]

Looks like a classic largemouth pic to me. It's definitely not a spot. What am I missing and why do you think it's not a largemouth?

 

[ad28]

The head and the eyes are not that of a largemouth. I am thinking it's a mean mouth.

 

[scn]

Hard to tell with the shadow, but, I would vote largemouth.

 

[Doecrusher]

Small headed largemouth...

 

[ad28]

Hard to tell with the shadow, but, I would vote largemouth.

That's just it, that's not a shadow. That was the color of his head.

 

[TN Larry]

I don't think it's a mean mouth and still think it's a largemouth. They can have dark pigmentation in some areas. Any more pics?

 

[scn]

It looks more like a shadow to me.

I would still vote largemouth, but, feel free to call it what you want to.

 

[Urban_Hunter]

Any more pics? I've never seen a pic of a meanmouth that didn't have similar colors and patches to a smallmouth. If you put your thumb over its face, the body is a largemouth all day. My vote is a odd colored largemouth, but I could see it being a hybrid possibly, disclaimer being I have no idea how possible that is

 

[WTM]

cant tell what it is without the jaws shut, and the dorsal and anal fins spread out to get a spine count. more than likely if its a hybrid there is no way to tell without a DNA test.

 

[timberjack86]

Large mouth

 

[XCR-2]

It is 2023 you know. Now it's the fish identifying themselves.

 

[redblood]

Pretty good article here on the subject…..

 

[redblood]

i will never keep a smallmouth or largemouth but i keep the heck out of spottes bass. they are yummy.

 

[WTM]

if i lived in east tennessee i would put a filet knife to every spot i caught. a lot of those big spots folks are catching and releasing on video are not northerns but alabama spots. they will absolutely destroy a smallmouth and largemouth fishery and Adam Martin equates them to being worse than asian carp.

 

[kaizen leader]

What lake? Florida strain have been put in some east Tn lakes. They are darker. This might be one. Nice bass though.

 

[Hduke86]

You found Nemo

 

[Hymie3]

Definitely looks like a cross breed. More large mouth body but head for sure has a smallmouth look. Did you ask her what her pronouns were?

 

[bigquacks]

looks like a 2 filet supper platter

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

Large Mouth

 

[Rem7600]

Just some random info, long time ago my buddy somehow came across a 2" largemouth and put it in a fish tank, lasted almost a year. The line on his side was always brighter for a day or so after he ate, if he hadn't eaten a lot he had no line at all looked just like your picture. Little sucker would eat shiners as big as himself. He wouldn't always eat right away he seemed to not like the chase, just wait and quick strikes at close range.

 

[tdt5446]

I thinking largemouth with an extreme overbite on the lower jaw. The upper jaw appears to be too short for any of the the 3 species to me. But then again, who knows?

 

[WTM]

here is a good article on meanmouths, the same that appeared in a knoxville paper couple years ago. that said i wouldnt go by coloration alone. ive seen bass, crappie, etc that come out of the water solid white in winter.

https://www.bassmaster.com/conservation-news/news/will-meanmouth-bass-impact-classic/