Breaking down the many black bass subspecies beyond largemouths and smallmouths

Ask most Outdoor News followers to name the different species of black bass and, most likely, you’ll hear largemouth and smallmouth.

Rightly so. Those are the primary species of bass we have in northern states.

But if you examine bass across the country, you will learn there are actually nine species of black bass.

Here is a rundown on each one.

Largemouth

(also known as northern strain)

This is the fish found commonly across northern states. It’s easily identified by its large mouth with an upper jaw that extends past the eye and has mid-body lateral line and blotches.

While water clarity often dictates coloring, the upper half of the body is dark green fading into a white belly.

Largemouths will feed on anything from small ducks, baitfish, frogs and even insects and can tolerate warm waters in the shallows.

Largemouths tend to be home bodies, lurking in a general area that offers deep water near shallows.

World record: 22 pounds, 4 ounces

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Florida bass

Casual observers could easily misidentify Florida strain largemouths as a northern largemouth.

The Florida bass’s upper jaw positioning and the colored markings can be quite similar.

However, Florida bass grow faster and can achieve double-digit weights while northern largemouths rarely grow beyond 10 pounds.

Another notable difference is the northern strain tolerates cold water while Florida bass don’t, hence they don’t do well in northern systems.

The Florida strain is said to be native to some waters in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. Because they do grow so large, several other warm weather states have stocked them in their waters.

Like the northern version, Florida bass will strike a variety of lures in large sizes.

World Record: 15 pounds, 13 ounces

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Alabama bass

Determining the difference between the Alabama bass and the spotted bass isn’t easy. Even biologists struggle to tell the difference.

However, it is believed that the Alabama sub-species grows larger than spotted bass. They feed the same, although Alabama bass prefer slow currents in rivers, deep water and rocky habitat. They also have been introduced to California waters where they have grown to double-digit weights.

Topwater lures are a favorite among Alabama anglers, although finesse soft plastics will catch them as well.

World record: None listed

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Spotted bass

The spotted bass – or “spot” as they are commonly known in the south – also can be misidentified as a largemouth, and sometimes, a smallmouth.

They are native to the Mississippi River Basin and in Gulf states and have spread into some northern states and California.

Their lateral line is more broken up, hence the name, and the jaw doesn’t extend past the middle of the eye. They also have a rough patch on the tongue.

Spots generally don’t grow as large as largemouths and feed like smallmouth, following large groups of baitfish. Like the smallmouth, they are powerful fighters. They prefer river systems and cool, deep water.

Interestingly, they have been known to hybridize with smallmouths, creating what some anglers refer to as the “meanmouth.”

World record: 11 pounds, 4 ounces

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Smallmouth bass

Smallmouths – often referred to as bronzebacks – are more brownish-colored and rarely grow as large as the largemouth.

Another big difference is that the smallmouth’s upper jaw doesn’t go beyond the eye.

Smallmouths are roamers. They often run in wolf packs unless they are schooled tightly on deep structure. They prefer much cooler waters than largemouths and will follow baitfish wherever they are abundant.

They feed on smaller creatures than do largemouths, although they readily will take – or at least attempt to take – large lures.

World record: 11 pounds, 15 ounces

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Suwannee bass

This black bass doesn’t grow very large and is native to some river systems in Florida and Georgia.

Suwannee bass are mostly brown with olive blotches along the flanks. Their jaw protrudes to even with the eye.

They like tidal influence, spring-fed water with limestone and sand bottoms. While they eat invertebrates and small fishes, they prefer crayfish.

Small lures and crayfish imitators are top lure choices.

World record: 3 pounds, 14 ounces

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Guadalupe bass

Sometimes referred to as “Texas trout,” Guadalupes like to hang around seams in the current.

Their physical traits are similar to the spotted bass and also have a rectangular tooth patch on the tongue.

They don’t grow very big and are endemic to Texas and are the official state fish. They are listed as a near-threatened species and are often misidentified as either smallmouths or spotted bass. Like smallmouths and spots, they will hybridize with those two species.

They are found only in central Texas.

Guadalupes prefer moving water and use typical bass cover for hiding. They prefer feeding on insects and have become a popular target among Texas fly fishermen.

World record: 3 pounds, 11 ounces

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Redeye bass

Generally found in the Coosa River system of Alabama and Georgia, the redeye bass prefer small, clear upland streams with rocky bottoms, although some can be found in small lakes. They prefer moving water with temperatures rarely above 65 degrees.

The top jaw stops at the back of the eye, which is normally red. The fish has a slender body and rows of dark spots with a greenish brown back.

They feed on insects and the average size rarely gets much more than a pound.

World record: 3 pounds, 14 ounces

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Shoal bass

The shoal bass is native to Florida and Georgia waters and is listed as endangered, therefore they cannot be kept.

It is similar in body, shape and size as the redeye bass for which they often are confused. However, they grow larger than redeyes.

They feed mainly on surface bugs, but also will eat crayfish and small baitfish. Again, they are very popular with fly fishermen.

World record: 3 pounds, 14 ounces