What is a Mean Mouth Bass?

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The Mean Mouth Bass is a rare fish and a difficult find, leaving many fishers wondering if it’s even real. It sounds like a made-up name for a fish out of legend that was used to keep children from swimming. However, it’s a real fish and it has quite the interesting background. The Mean Mouth Bass is the hybrid species that occurs when a Largemouth or a Spotted Bass mate with a Smallmouth Bass. Some forums believe the name ‘Mean’ comes from the Smallmouth Bass’ aggressive nature.

If you find a Mean Mouth Bass, chances are you’re looking at the version that comes from a Smallmouth and a Spotted Bass as these are significantly more common. The Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass have two separate habitat locations and very rarely come in contact. There are a few crossover locations between the Smallmouth Bass and the Spotted Bass habitats, but even so, the Mean Mouth Bass is extremely rare.

The name Mean Mouth Bass is more of a nickname for this species as there doesn’t seem to be a recognized species classification due to the fact that there is no way for them to spawn members of their species naturally. The only way for a Mean Mouth Bass to be produced is through the rare interaction of a Smallmouth Bass with a Largemouth or Spotted Bass. Because of this lack of self-sustaining reproduction, the Mean Mouth Bass is not considered its own species. To learn more about the Mean Mouth Bass, head over to Bass Fishing Gurus.

Where to Find the Mean Mouth Bass

So far, the only states to record an official presence of Mean Mouth Bass have been Missouri and Georgia. Bass, especially Smallmouth Bass, are a basin fish and are typically found in rivers and basin. Therefore, it only makes sense that you can only find the Mean Mouth Bass in similar bodies of water. Spotted Bass are similar in the types of bodies they inhabit but prefer a slightly warmer climate than the Smallmouth variant.

By noting the common habitats of these two Bass, it’s easy to mark the regions where crossover occurs and to assume that these locations are likely to host some Mean Mouth Bass. Both Missouri and Georgia have regions inhabited by both Smallmouth and Spotted Bass. Chances are, if you’re looking for the Mean Mouth Bass, you can find it in basins in these regions. The Largemouth Bass tend to inhabit different locations, but some crossover can occur.

Just because the only regions to officially report the presence of Mean Mouth Bass are Missouri and Georgia doesn’t mean this Bass can’t be found elsewhere. States like Kentucky which are in the middle of the species crossover zone, are beginning to request that any anglers who catch a Mean Mouth Bass bring them to a conservation center for scientific study. There are other areas within the habitat crossover zones, and many Mean Mouth Bass sightings have yet to be reported.

Fishing for a Mean Mouth Bass

The process of catching a Mean Mouth Bass is quite similar to that of a Smallmouth Bass. It seems they have a similar diet and will go for the same bait, so be prepared with the right tools for the job. Many fishers have begun to stop seeking out Mean Mouth Bass as there are scientific interests in the species, not angler interest. Here is a quick guide on how to catch the Mean Mouth Bass as well as a note on why not many people are interested in catching the species. Check out our other article that we published if you would like to learn How to Catch a Largemouth Bass.

How to Catch a Mean Mouth Bass

The process of catching a Mean Mouth Bass is as simple as catching a Smallmouth or a Spotted Bass. However, you’ll need to be more precise with every calculation. With a Smallmouth Bass, you have plenty of locations to choose from in terms of fishing spots. For the Mean Mouth Bass, you’ll need to find a habitat crossover section and plant yourself there. Smallmouth Bass seem to go for smaller jigheads and plastic worms – try these when fishing for the Mean Mouth Bass.

Be warned, however, that the Mean Mouth is exceptionally rarer than either the Smallmouth or the Spotted Bass. If you’re going fishing for the Mean Mouth Bass specifically, be prepared to catch many more Smallmouth Bass than Mean Mouth Bass. If you’re set on catching the Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass hybrid, you’re in for an even more difficult time, but catching one could help further scientific study of the species greatly.

Lack of Interest

Due to the lack of numbers and the scarcity of the species, there isn’t much interest in catching the Mean Mouth Bass for anglers. It might be cool to say you caught a rare hybrid fish, but many in the angler world consider this more of a party trick than a career maker. Most of the interest in the species comes from scientists who are looking to preserve the Mean Mouth Bass.

It’s also due to this lack of interest that no official methods have been established in fishing for the Mean Mouth Bass. That’s why we referred you to the Smallmouth and Spotted Bass methods of fishing as those might be your best chance at catching a Mean Mouth Bass. The lack of presence created a lack of interest in the angler community which lead to no official fishing method being established.

Preservation Attempts for Mean Mouth Bass

Mean Mouth Bass are in no way endangered as they rely on the cross of two quite common species of Bass to create them. In order for them to become endangered, the Smallmouth, Largemouth, or Spotted Bass would have to also become endangered which is unlikely at this moment. The real reason why scientists have such an interest in the Mean Mouth Bass is because of their rare nature. They know very little about this hybrid species of bass and are asking anglers to deliver them for study.

While there seems to be no interest from the angling community and the scientific community is looking to know more about this rare hybrid bass, fishing for the Mean Mouth Bass can still be a fun and worthwhile experience.

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