Big River Bass - A PB (but which one) - are they the same fish?

[BillsTheBassMan]

Hello Folks,

 

So I've been pounding a lot of different rivers this year for Bass and Trout and I've got into some great fish from the start of the season to now using various techniques.

 

I've recently landed these two bass, but as soon as I landed the one this morning, I got thinking it MIGHT be the same fish. Here are the details:

 

1) They were caught within 50 yard of eachother. The first one was caught 8 days ago, the second one was caught this morning.

 

2) They were caught on similar, though varying, presentations.

 

3) They fought the same way - no jumps, screaming line at the start of the fight and towards the end of the fight.

 

I think the one from this morning might be bigger. I'm also looking for a rough measurement on these fellas since I didn't take the time to measure them myself (as I unhooked them, took a quick picture, and held them in the current to receive some nasty tail slaps when they swam away!)

 

The one from 8 days ago:

 

 

The one from today:

 

 

An unflattering picture of the one from today:

 

 

Cheers,

Ryan

Edited August 6, 2010 by BillsTheBassMan

[Mike Pike]

Same fish or not, NICE CATCH! A couple( or one )real beauty river bass.

[steverowbotham]

hard to be sure man, nice fish though!

[otter649]

That's why catch & release is so great - the same fish can be caught again & hopefully several times over and

bring pleasure to several fisherpersons........

[johnnyb]

Too hard to tell from the pics, but could absolutely be the same fish...I too caught the same largemouth twice in one day...maybe 50 yds apart...

[BillsTheBassMan]

Yeah, no clue on whether it's the same fish or not here . . . the identical fight shows me that it very well could be. They generally try and jump in this waterbody, and this fellow didn't jump in either case.

 

I've added the poll - I guess it didn't work the first time!

[ehg]

The white mark on the posterior part of gill plate is unique to both those smallmouth. However, The second fish is noticebly larger with slightly different shaped mark. Eight days really isn't enough time for such a change to occur.

But whatever

 

 

 

 

This reminds me of a post i did on all the different versions of this forum.

Back in the mid 90's while jigging for fall walleyes(6 lb. mono) in 45 foot deep water, hooked into a musky and pulled it out. Was worried stinger hook would fuse jaw shut. Took this pic and put fish back with minimal resuscitation.

A couple of years later, near same area, caught this fish in 12 ft. of water

On a perch super shad rap.

 

Years later while perusing musky pictures, noticed these fish had a similar pose, with flared fins. Most other didn't. Then noticed a white bar between tail fin and posterior caudal peduncle, with same little indentation mid-bar. It is the same fish years later.

Looks healthier and chunkier despite yanking it of deep water on light gear years before.

So catch and release does work!

[torco]

Who knows, but two nice bass none the less.

Well done.

[msp]

Its very hard to tell but nice hat anyway

[Guest Johnny Bass]

The white mark on the posterior part of gill plate is unique to both those smallmouth. However, The second fish is noticebly larger with slightly different shaped mark. Eight days really isn't enough time for such a change to occur.

 

Agreed. The second fish looks larger.

[Billy Bob]

Probably not...its a bass and their easily caught, especially in Lake Erie and they don't taste good...that's why I fish for Yellow Pike...

[aplumma]

Nice bass they look healthy.

 

 

Art

[BillsTheBassMan]

Nice bass they look healthy.

 

 

Art

 

Yep, lots of food choices for those guys in that spot - I see hoppers, frogs, crayfish, and piles of baitfish. It must be like the Mandarin for them

[steverowbotham]

Funny story about catching the same fish.

 

In 2004, I was fishing a tournament on Buggs Island Lake on the VA/NC border. On Day 1 of the tournament, I was carolina rigging an underwater point in about 25 feet of water using a green pumpkin lizard that I had hand dipped the tail in Chartreuse Scent. I got bit and when I set the hook, my line broke (there was a lot of brush on the point). About 15 minutes later, I hooked another fish and when I boated it, it had two of my lizards and hooks in its mouth. She didnt help me much in the tournament, but still my lucky fish!

[capt bruce]

probably same year class , but from pics they seam to be a little different in size . Still nice fish . My buddy has a camp up north and I have caught the same one eyed bass off his dock at night every Aug for the last 4 years . I know its the same fish due to one eye is milky white and it appears to be blind in this eye . caught him /her first as a 2 pounder and this Aug it must be pulling 5 + , still going strong hope to see it again next year , catch and release does work if you handle with care .Got to love those river smallies strong fish .