Is this a bass?

[BradMc76]

Well, it was caught in Hamilton Harbour in Ontario. So....

[Rich]

I cant believe anyone who fishes could confuse that with a smallmouth.

 

Obviously a largemouth bass. I have a feeling next year your pictures will feature some much larger fish. great work!

[Harrison]

Looks like a horny chub got a hold of a largie

[Rich]

Spotted bass don't exist in canada, so i really doubt that.

 

Interestingly though, hamilton harbour is one of the few places in canada with "wipers" (white bass/striped bass hybrid) which can grow to 10lbs, and what a fight.

[BillM]

I think Sinclair and I agree, this is 100% an Atlantic.

 

Case closed, move on people!

[Rich]

Spotted bass live in freshwater reservoirs in the united states. The ships are coming from foreign seas and through the oceans and dumping ballast water in the canals. Spotted bass would have to be brought up in a bucket or tank and dropped in. It would not survive in lake ontario's cold temperatures, period, without weeks of conditioning, which it would also not survive.

[BradMc76]

Well, like I said, I caught it in Hamilton Harbour. The pollution there is enough to mutate anything. So, I'm going to go with a Largemouth Bass with an unusually small mouth. Thank you all for your input.

[Rich]

There is the more likely occurance of a "mean mouth" which is a largemouth who spawns with a smallmouth, and happens commonly where the two co-habitate. Good job on the bass, sorry to derail the thread.