Simple request for 2010 AOTY - Spotted Bass

Can we include Spotted bass as part of the largemouth bass category?

Spotted bass do not get nearly as large as LM, but for those who don't fish lakes that have as many LM as they do spots, having spots count would be nice.  Also, this would help those who are able to properly identify Spots (not everyone knows) as these fish as it stands now do not count.

While they are comparable in size to SM, I don't think they should count in that category as they are not as difficult to catch as SM. 

I also want to mention that I do not think that Spots are worthy of their own category.

Spotted bass should probably count towards the LMB category.
Most people couldn't ID a spot vs LM anyways. They certainly don't warrant their own category. I bet you'd find a few spotted bass entered as LM if you searched the AOTY archives.

yah, I'd like it to be "officially" recognized like they do for the trout species, so I can enter a spot in good conscience.

I c&r'd a couple of nice 15" spots this year, both which would have been an upgrade over my current 12.5 LM, but i didn't measure either to follow the rules to the letter

yah, I'd like it to be "officially" recognized like they do for the trout species, so I can enter a spot in good conscience.

I c&r'd a couple of nice 15" spots this year, both which would have been an upgrade over my current 12.5 LM, but i didn't measure either to follow the rules to the letter

Hey Ben, where did you come across them, Tulloch?  How was your trip to Tulloch?

Michael

i went to melones for a couple hours instead.  skunked from the kayak but i got a 5" rainbow while bait dunking while loading up the kayaks.

the spots were from mcclure in april or so?

http://aoty.ncka.org/catch/show/840

Same topic different fish.  The rules list Halibut does this then include a Pacific also?

...for some reason, I thought we decided a while back that PacButts wouldn't count. Although, it probably seemed like a far-fetched fantasy back then too.

I never heard any talk of Pacific's not counting - why wouldn't they?

The top 'but on the board this year is Domenic's Pacific.

"The pool covers the following species: Sturgeon, Salmon, Halibut, Rockfish, Cabezon, Lingcod, Striped Bass, Large Mouth Bass, Small Mouth Bass,  and Trout."

Correct... if it's a halibut and it was caught in the eligible geographic area, it counts...

yeah a halibut is a halibut regardless of what species of halibut it is.

a spotted bass is not a largemouth bass.  if the rule was "bass" then it could count but its not.