there are other indicators as well,
the give away is the black stripe that runs from front to back.
then there is the dorsel fin and tail fins, they have different shapes.
Small mouth are green to a golden brown and any where in between depending on the quality of the water they are caught from. the greener they are the cleaner the water is you are catching them from.
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/6359/cat/553"]
![[Image: DSCN0300.JPG]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/553/thumbs/DSCN0300.JPG)
[/url]
Smallmouth ^
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/7987/cat/500/ppuser/89"]
![[Image: DSCN0709.JPG]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/500/thumbs/DSCN0709.JPG)
[/url]
Smallmouth ^
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/6360/cat/553"]
![[Image: DSCN0301.JPG]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/553/thumbs/DSCN0301.JPG)
[/url]
Smallmouth ^
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/showgallery.php/cat/566"]
![[Image: DSCN0708.JPG]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/500/thumbs/DSCN0708.JPG)
[/url]
Smallmouth ^
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/14724/cat/713"]
![[Image: DSCN1515.JPG]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/713/thumbs/DSCN1515.JPG)
[/url]
Largemouth ^
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/14650/cat/713"]
![[Image: DSCN1499.JPG]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/713/thumbs/DSCN1499.JPG)
[/url]
Largemouth ^
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/14721/cat/713"]
![[Image: DSCN1511.JPG]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/713/thumbs/DSCN1511.JPG)
[/url]
Largemouth ^
once you've caught a bunch of them you wont have any problems identifying them.
as you can see with these, there is color variations, but you put them side by side you can see quite plainly the differences.
"you can click to enlarge all these photos"
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