LMB vs SMB

I know I'll regret asking, but...for those of us inexperienced in bass fishing, how do you tell the difference between LMB and SMB?  Ready for all bad jokes...

Jay

From the Minnesota department of natural resources website..


It all comes down to mouth size!  (the largemouth bass is the one on top)

Once you see a few you can often tell the difference by the color and pattern of stripes.

Brian

As for largemouth vs smallmouth.  The mouth is the key characteristic, but you will also notice coloration differences between the two.

Here's a guide to the warmwater fish of Oregon from ODFW...
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/swwd/warmwater.html
and here is an image from the guide (laremouth on top).


The laremouth's mouth extends past the eye when closed, the smallmouth's mouth only makes it mid-eye.   The largemouths tend to have that characteristic horizontal bar while smallmouth tend to have multiple vertical bars.

Brian

Largemouth bass


Smallmouth bass


Check out the AOTY entries for comparison.

Whwere did you find that kool measuring tray, please???

BSteves,  Did you break those fishes necks before you measured them?  Or did you just sing them a sweet little lullaby?    I loose my fish trying to measure half the time, and i don't let them out of my hands hahah.. Gotta agree with Kallitype though, your measuring tray is cool and I wouldn't mind getting one myself

Those fish were nice and lively when I released them.  The measuring board has a concave recess that seems to calm them down.

Anyway, the NCKA (Nor Cal Kayak Anglers, a sister site) also runs an AOTY tournament and they ordered a bunch in bulk and gave them out with the entry.  I wrote the AOTY software so they gave me one for free.

However, the device itself is called a "Hawg Through" and Cabela's carries them for $16.99

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0002065013580a

Largemouth bass speak with a deep south, Bubba accent.

Smallmouth bass speak with a Minnesota accent.

RE: measuring devices.. you could also make your own out of some wide PVC (16" diameter or so) or  even wood and affix a tailors tape, measuring sticker, etc.. to it for accurate measuring.  They make these sorts of things for fisheries biologists and charge them $$$$.

Basically you want a straight and rigid end so that you can press the snout of the fish to it.  Adding a slightly concave recess or a bottom edge to prevent the fish from sliding around helps.  Finallay you need a decent flat measuring tape affixed to it so that the fish lays on the tape.  

This guy makes some really nice custom fish measuring boards..
http://www.riverviewwoodworking.com/RiverviewWoodworkingFishMeasuringBoards.html



Here's a diagram from an Australian fisheries site..

Largemouth bass speak with a deep south, Bubba accent.

Smallmouth bass speak with a Minnesota accent.

Does this mean I've passed on the "Asshat" to Threeweight?

Cha-chingggg

I believe the hat has been passed...

No dice.  I'm from South Carolina, I can't make fun of my own speaking mannerisms.  Apparently, only my wife is allowed to do that.

Cha-chingggg

I believe the hat has been passed...

DANG!  There goes my plan to equip everyone at the OCDerby (except bsteves) with a T-Shirt that says "I'm with ASSHAT"  $*&(*&)(*%$

DANG!  There goes my plan to equip everyone at the OCDerby (except bsteves) with a T-Shirt that says "I'm with ASSHAT"  $*&(*&)(*%$

Still sounds like a good idea to me!

Z

The LMBs blab about their uncrowded fishing spots on the open forums.

The SMBs use PMs to the other forum members, and even those may be suspect.


bsteves, in WA that 11" LMB would be a prime "keeper" for the grill.