Q & A Answers - #3 - How can you tell a florida bass from any other bass?

Dennis Bryant's Answer:

You've asked a question that even some of our better, northern states'
conservation officers have trouble answering without using a reference book
picture, or a scale-sample to use as an aid. Suffice it to say that the
differences are really minimal, and are hard to distinguish.
A "Florida Strain" Largemouth Bass generally has very well defined, and much
darker, vertical & horizontal lateral lines, than its' northern cousins.
Their pectoral & anterior dorsal fins are also more nearly vertically aligned
and somewhat larger than the northern strain Largemouth Bass, whose pectorals
are most generally located just forward of the anterior dorsal fin.
Their normal water-temperature tolerances, generally limits their natural
range to the southern and extreme southwestern tier of states, without the
aid of a year-round natural or man-made warm-water supply.
The successful natural and human-aided hybridizing of the original Florida
Strain Largemouth Bass has led to many of our now commonly accepted
Largemouth Bass sub-species. (Suwanee, Spotted, etc.) Making it even harder
yet for most lay persons to easily distinguish the differences between them
at a quick glance.
Finally; because of the extended growing period in their natural ranges'
warmer climate, they generally grow much larger, and very much quicker, than
any of their cousins from the north. A "good-sized" Largemouth Bass caught
in Florida or California can easily exceed 16 to 18 pounds. A "HUGE" "OLD"
Northern Largemouth Bass may be up in the 10 to 12 pound range.
North, South, East, or West; one thing about them all, does remain the same.
They are an awful lot of fun to catch, and, just fishing for them, can (for
some of us anyway) become an lifelong addiction. Just have fun catching them!

Charles Stuart's Answer:

Florida strain bass have lateral lines that are often darker than the regular
variety, and the bodies tend to be more "football shaped". The also fight
like a smallmouth!

These bass were introduced in Texan and other southern states to strengthen
weaker bass populations.

Due to the warmer climate of the south, these bass will often breed twice in
a year unlike the nothern bass who breed only in April/May.

Leo Watson's Answer:

This is a great question. There is not a lot of difference between the two.
The Florida strain bass is thicker through the tail and has more girth than
our normal large mouth bass. The coloration is the same. Most people would
not be able to tell the difference.

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