Special thanks must go out to these sites\organisations which we gathered all our info from. A very pretty silver coloured smallmouth yellowfish. This can still be difficult even for seasoned anglers. Smallmouth. © Copyright 2021 Gkhui Gkhui River Lodge. There are only 7 true yellowfish (Labeobarbus) that occur in South Africa. It has a larger mouth than other yellowfish that terminates in thin lips. Camouflage is a big part of their hunting tactics. The first and most obvious difference between Large and Smallmouth Bass is that Largemouth grow a lot bigger. This weeks AMFisH(LEARN more here: www.amfish.ca) fishing vlog is about the differences between largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. There are certainly fish that has similar attributes, whether this is due to a common ancestor or hybridisation is not clear, but in some instances, the lines are a bit blurred. Click on their links below to find out more about this fascinating fish. The location is breath taking, the food exquisite and the hands-on service of the owners will ensure that I go back there time and time again! Radio-tagged fish confined themselves to a surprisingly small area, and hardly … Indigenous to the same watershed as the smallmouth, the largemouth yellowfish is an entirely different animal. This is because the smallmouth yellowfish is predominantly a bottom feeder and needs to see food below it. The largemouth is around all seasons, and they like to swim alone. Largemouth yellowfish often hunt prey in front and probably above them, while smallmouth mostly feed on prey lower in the water column. Our family had the pleasure to visit Gkhui Gkhui River Lodge on several occasions and what an experience! The two photos above show the authors variation on the Skelton test. A quiet rolling motor moves you silently through quiet spots and on to the next section. This seems to be the most reliable test according to Prof. Skelton. We’ve found there are two main ways of differentiating between these two common yellowfish: Basically turn your yellowfish on it’s back, and then try to see it’s eyes from the bottom. However, that’s what the adults look like. You can also count the amount of scales from the head to the dorsal fin (uppermost scales). Largescales are normally bulkier than smallscale who has a more streamlined body. Their coloration helps thi… There are several key differences between largemouth bass and spotted bass and it can be very difficult to tell which one you've caught unless you know what to look for. This will ensure that fish are sexually active. Awesome setting, luxury rooms with an added private outdoor shower. we found by asking the following questions we can easily distinguish between the different types of yellowfish. It has two pairs of smallish thin barbells with dorso –lateral eye placement. If you can see it’s eyes protruding on the sides of it’s head then it’s a smallmouth. From my research, the jaw length, eye position and the preopercular groove to eye distance test seem to be the most accurate, but a combination of all these features would make things easier in practice. The largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a member of the sunfish family and specifically a black bass species. I have a confession. Largemouth yellowfish often hunt prey in front and probably above them, while smallmouth mostly feed on prey lower in the water column. Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa. The superior mouth is oriented upwards, and the lower jaw is longer than the upper jaw. These two photos clearly show that the distance between the preopercular groove and the posterior orbit is much larger in largemouth than with smallmouth yellowfish. We found it lying around in a forum and took the liberty of enhancing it to be more readable. The Largemouth Yellowfish or Barbus Kimberleyensis is the largest scale bearing fish in Southern Africa and indeed in South Africa. This will surely settle any further debate . Here they are sorted by most commonly fished: Another 3 species are related and similar to yellowfish but not classified as such: We found this fantastic map on the Federation of South African Flyfishers site and it clearly illustrates where all the different yellowfish can be found. If you’re like us you have at some point caught a yellowfish and wondered which of the 7 different species it is. It is said that they migrate upstream to spawn on suitable gravel … Smallies usually top out at around 10 pounds, while Largies can double that easily. This large freshwater barb is found in southern Africa. The Difference Between a Spotted Bass and Largemouth Bass. Voeg hierby uitstekende diens, fynproewerskos en boere gasvryheid en skielik het... Read More. Just looking at the table and map above it’s clear that we can discard quite a few species by just determining where it was caught. Spotted bass have small cheek scales that differ in size compared to the rest of their body. These two pictures clearly show the difference between the eye position of the two species. Photo by Danie van Zyl. In general, largemouth has a slightly different shape than smallmouth, but to exclusively use this as an indicator can be misleading. Or it can be a very dark green almost black when they inhabit shallow weedy areas. Mills, Villet and Jones did not find any such evidence in their study, but could not rule it out. Keep up the good work!! The most visible difference between the two is their coloration. What’s the difference between a smallscale and a largescale yellowfish? The smallmouth yellows were also all over my Falloons and made up for the quiet spells between largemouth yellowfish action. You can also tell the species apart by their color. Both largemouth and the larger of the smallmouth yellowfish sit in deeper water, close to the bottom and tight to the structure. The spectacular Orange River is generally regarded as the premier destination for the avid yellowfish Fly-fisherman and this section is arguably the best section of the river. This test is apparently very close to 100% accurate on fish larger than 100mm. For other types of yellowfish that inhabit the same bodies of water we couldn’t find any resources. What’s the difference between a smallmouth and a largemouth yellowfish? An autumn/winter (May to October) tagging period is planned and a spring/summer (September to March). : They eat plant as well as animal matter. It seems that most scientists agree that the bottom jaw is a great indicator, as largemouth yellowfish has a much longer lower jaw than smallmouth yellowfish. They did not, however, rule out the possibility of hybrids. What’s the difference between a smallmouth and a largemouth yellowfish? FishTheFly If X is greater than y, it is a largemouth yellowfish, and if y is greater than x, it is a smallmouth yellowfish. This is because the smallmouth yellowfish is predominantly a bottom feeder and needs to see food below it. Conversely the largemouth is predominantly a hunter and generally looks upwards to spot prey. Temperature is also a big factor as the smallmouth actually likes to live in colder waters. The predatory largemouth bass flourish in several dams on tributaries of the Vaal and in the Barrage below the Vaal dam. Great place to relax and not far to drive from Bloemfontein! Hopefully, at the end, you’ll finally be able to tell your bass apart. Its sides are covered with dark brown vertical lines while its head has dark brown … There’s one main trait that definitely runs in this family – they’re ferocious fighters, which makes them plenty of fun to find at the end of your line! What’s the difference between a smallscale and a largescale yellowfish? Largemouth bass have a darker line of dots and splotches leading from the eye all the way to the tail. They have two pairs of barbells though and eyes that are able to see below and to the sides. The eyes on the Largemouth Yellowfish are also situated more towards the top of the head, compared to the Smallmouth Yellowfish where the eyes are more on the side of the head. Geleë in die jagters wereld van ‘n man maar op die oewer van die Gariep waar die sagte waters en oewerbos ineen vleg met die harde veld, vind mens hierdie luukse goed ontwerpte Lodge met al die geriewe wat mens voor kan wens en alles prentjie mooi. Ok fine, but how do I identify my yellowfish? … SMALLMOUTH YELLOWFISH ARE OMNIVOROUS: i.e. Prof. Skelton recommends the following test: Measure the distance between the preopercular groove and the middle of the eye(x) and then the distance between the middle of the eye and the tip of the nose(y). (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Yellowfish species that occur in South Africa, Similar species that occur in South Africa, Map of yellowfish distribution in South Africa. Having fished and guided on the Orange River system for the past 25 years I have observed many of these differences and can give some practical pointers. Built with Springnest. 2. What are the differences between Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass? The question arises if hybrids between the species do exist. Usually, fish with this type of mouth feed at the surface. They’re native to north america. Map of yellowfish distribution in South Africa. by Admin | 14 Jun, 2018 | Freshwater, Nymphs, Smallmouth Yellowfish, Trout. Yellowfish species that occur in South Africa But in the meantime if you have anything to add to our research that would be great. This is a tough one. I have been fishing in Georgian Bay for more than 40 years and the difference between smallmouth bass and largemouth bass seemed obvious, but I have learned a much easier way to tell them apart. Orange\Vaal River system (including Sterkfontein Dam), Gouritz (WC), Orange\Vaal River system (including Sterkfontein Dam), Limpopo, Elands, Crocodile, Komati, Pongola Rivers, basically north and east of South Africa, Komati, Pongola, Sabie River systems (MP), Limpopo, Elands, Crocodile, Komati, Pongola. 2. Share Continue Reading . Conversely the largemouth is predominantly a hunter and generally looks upwards to spot prey. The author with a good "normal" coloured smallmouth yellowfish. Finally have a look the following detailed graphic. The differences affect the way the fish look but, more importantly, they also affect the behavioural patterns of these beautiful fish. And if it’s mouth opens mostly forwards it’s a largemouth. From photos, it is difficult to determine the exact posterior articulation point, but on the water, it is really easy to see, you literally just take the lower part of the mouth and move it, the jaw movement will clearly show the point. Fishermen are the ones who will automatically know the difference between largemouth and smallmouth bass. Spotted bass may not really be bass, but don’t tell serious fishermen that fact. The adult Largemouth Yellowfish has a larger head and a more prolonged mouth area. Large smallmouth behave very much like largemouth yellowfish but are distinctly more territorial – i.e. 1. Searching online helped a lot but the info can be overwhelming and confusing sometimes. But according to Bills, Villet and Jones eye size can influence snout length and the distance between the eye and preopercular groove that could influence this test in smaller fish. 1. I am exploring this question because these fish are very similar and I want to know the major differences between them. This figure from the Bills, Villet and Jones study clearly shows the difference between the lower jaw of the two species. The Smallmouth (barbus aeneus) breeds in spring to early summer after the first good rains of the season. You’ll notice that their cheek scales are exactly the same as the rest. Gkhui-Gkhui River Lodge was een van my aangenaamste verrrassings van 2017. Bart . The largescale has around 8-9 scales. The unmistakable shape and size of the mouth of a largemouth yellowfish is normally a great way of distinguishing between the two species, but unfortunately, some smallmouth yellows have very largemouth like shaped mouths. Similar species that occur in South Africa c. Still can’t determine the type of yellowfish? Gently press the bottom lip of the yellowfish down. NOTE: please try not to keep the fish too long out of water while counting scales, rather take a photo and do the counting later.

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