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Micropterus henshalli?

Started by Guest_Snookman_* , Nov 10 2010 04:09 PM

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9 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_Snookman_*

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Posted 10 November 2010 - 04:09 PM

Tooth patch present on tongue, 8 gill rakers. Mouth was a little on the large side for the typical spots I catch though and body is leaner like a LMB of similar size. All spots I've caught to date from the Coosa River below Jordan Dam have had at least a white-ish belly below the lateral line area. The typical spot was present at the caudal peduncle even though not shown in the pic. It also had rows of small spots on the lower flanks like that of Micropterus coosae. I have seen a hybrid spot/LMB (confirmed by a fisheries biologist) caught that was about 3lbs or so and looked very similar to this. I usually hate the word hybrid especially when we're dealing with native/wild populations. I just wanted to be sure about ID being that it was a variation from the typical.

Thanks.

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#2 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 11 November 2010 - 10:36 AM

I've only seen a handful of henshalli, but that one does look distinctly different. I'll be interested to see what the experts say, too!

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#3 Guest_Snookman_*

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Posted 12 November 2010 - 10:00 PM

72 views and no replies for I'D?

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#4 Guest_Snookman_*

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Posted 14 November 2010 - 09:54 PM

108...

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#5 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 15 November 2010 - 11:23 AM

Problem is it is going to be really difficult to be positive on what you have there. It does look odd, I'll give you that much. What you described as the "normal spots" that you catch in the coosa sound like M. henshalli to me and actually there should be no M. punctulatus in that area they should all be M. henshalli. The Alabama bass I have seen seem to be rather pale/white on the lower half of their sides like you described and the rows of spots are often not black but rather a straw yellow color and they are a rather elongate fish more largemouth shaped than any other Micropterus. I would wonder if that fish were a M. coosae x M. henshalli but like I said before all I can say for certain is I agree with you that it looks odd and you have a good reason to be suspicious about it being different from the norm.

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#6 Guest_Dustin_*

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Posted 15 November 2010 - 11:32 AM

I suspect that no one has replied because few people are familiar with this species. This species is so similar to puntulatus that it would be difficult for someone to determine with any certainty whether this is henshalli or punctulatus based on the the photo and the brief characteristics noted. I hope that one of the folks that has worked with this species in the past may chime in, but I suspect there aren't many that have that much confidence in regards to this species.

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#7 Guest_daveneely_*

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Posted 15 November 2010 - 12:59 PM

...also, given that a few idiot anglers have moved punctulatus all across the southeast (I mean, REALLY, did you HAVE to have spots in the Apalachicola?!), who knows what an individual fish may be without having genetic data in hand.

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#8 Guest_Snookman_*

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Posted 15 November 2010 - 01:21 PM

Thanks for the responses. I'd rather have an "I don't know" response than none at all. I will say that the M. coosae x M. henshalli is possible but unlikely. I have not found any redeyes in this area because of a series of dams. In the last 5-6 years of fishing this area, I have not found any redeyes at all. As far as M. micropterus, the only place in AL these are found is in the Tenn. River system. There has also been no need for multipunctatus stockings or transplants because of the resident spots. You don't put spots where there's already a large abundance. There are many more spots than LMB in this river (not talking about the reservoirs along the full river system, just the actual river portions). I know theres no 100% way of knowing exact ID without genetics testing but I just wanted to see if anyone had seen this kind of thing before. Thanks again to the responses given.

Edited by Snookman, 15 November 2010 - 01:24 PM.

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#9 Guest_daveneely_*

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Posted 15 November 2010 - 01:39 PM

Having "spots" there already didn't stop folks from moving spots from the TN drainage to the upper Coosa in GA, and elsewhere in adjacent drainages. I would not be surprised at all to see M. punctulatus in the Mobile Basin in Alabama, particularly in the middle Coosa or in tribs near some of the larger reservoirs elsewhere (Lewis Smith, for example). Some of the fault may be with resource agencies (e.g., stocking of walleye on top of "southern walleye").

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#10 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 15 November 2010 - 04:32 PM

I'm not qualified to comment as I know nothing about the species/group in question.
I will say though I wonder how useful color patterns can be for id purposes.
New England largemouth show amazing variation in color and even body shape depending on the body of water. I've frequently had uninformed anglers tell me the bass in such and such a pond are this or that because they look so different.

Not to compare anyone here to an uninformed angler, just sayin...

Edited by mikez, 15 November 2010 - 04:33 PM.