Northern-strain vs. Florida-strain largemouth Bass

• Photo shows a Florida-strain bass (18lbs) compared to a northern-strain fish (12lbs) caught from the same lake 10 years apart.

• Max size potnetial for Florida-strain bass: 22lbs+.

• Max size potential for northern-strain bass 15lbs.

• Florida-stain bass suffer 80% mortality rates in water tempeturers that drop into the low 40’s effectively limiting their range to waters south of Tennessee.

• Florida-strain bass have been known to reach 3.5lbs in as little as a year and cross the 10lb mark in as few as 4 years

• Both Florida and northern-strain bass suffer reduced lifespans in water above 80 degrees due to metabolic burnout.

• (Photo courtesy of Tom Young)