The upper jaw extends beyond the eye. It has a spiny dorsal fin seperated or almost seperated in the middle. It has a smooth tongue. Although rare, toothed patched do occur.
The upper jaw extends to the middle of the eye. It usually has vertical stripes on it's body.
The spotted bass looks similar to the large mouth bass. However, it's jaw does not extend past the eye. It has a spiny dorsal fin that is clearly connected. It has a toothed patch on it's tongune.
The hybrid bass has an arched hump that starts near the eye. It has distinct but broken stripes running along it's body. It has two toothed patches on it's tongue.
The wite bass looks similar to the hybrid but has a much less pronounced hump. It's stripes are often faint. It has a single toothed patch on it's tongune.
The striped bass has a slender body with distinct but broken stripes running along the length of it's body. It has two toothed patches on it's tongue. It is the largest of the fresh water bass species in North Aamerica.