Bass Identification
Correct ID helps you abide by special regs
Most public fishing areas have methods, seasons, limits or other fishing regulations that are different from the statewide rules. These special regulations are often posted at the areas, but they may not be posted at others, such as at larger reservoirs. If regulations are not posted at an area, they can found in the Wildlife Code of Missouri (see "External Resources" below) and in the current fishing regulations booklet (see "Related Information" below). It is your repsonsibility to know what regulations apply to the waters you are fishing. Many public fishing areas have specific length limits and seasons for the different bass species, so it is important for you to be able to tell the difference between largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, striped and white bass. Below are illustrations and descriptions to help you do this.
Largemouth bass
- Cheek scales same size as rest of body scales
- Green with dark horizontal stripe
- Without rows of dark spots
- Upper jaw extends beyond back of eye
- Smooth tongue
- Dorsal fins not well connected
Smallmouth bass
- Cheek scales much smaller than rest of body scales
- Bronze and greenish-brown color
- No dark horizontal stripe
- Without rows of dark spots
- Vertical bars when colored well
- Upper jaw does not extend beyond back of eye
- Tongue usually has rough patch
- Dorsal fins connected
Spotted bass
- Cheek scales much smaller than rest of body scales
- Green with dark horizontal stripe
- Rows of dark spots
- Upper jaw does not extend much beyond back of eye
- Tongue has rough patch
- Dorsal fins connected
Striped bass
- Teeth on back of tongue in two parallel patches
- Horizontal stripes
White bass
- Teeth on back of tongue in a single patch
- Horizontal stripes
Illustrations by Joseph R. Tomelleri. Used with permission.
