Official 2012 AOTY Thread

OK I learned something---thought it was a smallie.
But what does this mean? Does Jim have to replace his smallie w/a different species (or another smallie if worth more pts than the different species). Because I see it's still on the board.

I'm just confused about this whole conversation. From what I read earlier (the posts that weren't manipulated/edited/removed), it sounded like the AOTY committee would just wait until the end of the year to disqualify the fish... Is that correct?

From what I read earlier (the posts that weren't manipulated/edited/removed), it sounded like the AOTY committee would just wait until the end of the year to disqualify the fish... Is that correct?

That is not what I said.  If we see violations, we certainly alert the participant.  What I was trying to convey is that the onus is on the participant to submit a valid entry.  And that we will do a double check at the end of the year before announcing winners.  If one submits a bad entry that isn't flagged until we do our double check, well, that's your own fault, so please don't come crying to us.

-Allen

Naoakis quoted pic of jims fish is not he same pic or fish he has posted as a smallie on the aoty..that fish actually looks like a smallie where the other isnt! Just saying...so was it flagged?

Those are pics of the same fish Ricci. Its the other side of it.

The smallmouth from Berryessa are all over the place as to looks. Or spots for that matter.

Those smallmouth have two distinct sides, one looks like a smallmouth the other looks like a spotted bass.

That's why they are referred to as the freshwater halibut. 

Those are pics of the same fish Ricci. Its the other side of it.

The smallmouth from Berryessa are all over the place as to looks. Or spots for that matter.

I believe that is because they are hybrids.

There's too many bass species in AOTY!   

Why don't we just target 1 specific rockfish too?

Just make spots an smallies the same points an be done with it lol

Could we have tiger rockfish on the list specifically next year? Worth like a gazillion points per centimeter?

Naoakis quoted pic of jims fish is not he same pic or fish he has posted as a smallie on the aoty..that fish actually looks like a smallie where the other isnt! Just saying...so was it flagged?

both pics are of the same fish, and both look like spotted bass.  neither looks like a hybrid.

Truth be known, a spot is a hybrid

Sent from my phone cause I can

Truth be known, a spot is a hybrid

Sent from my phone cause I can

Here is a phylogenetic tree on black basses.  It shows that a spot (M. punctualis) is not a hybrid.  However, a fish resembling a spotted bass caught in waters which hold other black basses could very well be a hybrid.

Source:
Kassler TW et al. 2002.  Molecular and morphological analyses of the black basses:  Implications for taxonomy and conservation.  Am Fish Soc Symposium 31:291-322.

The reason I posted the two pics in my last post was to demonstrate that the competitor who is actively trying to disqualify my fish also has a bass entered that looks the same as mine. In addition to these bass there have been several other similar ones entered in the past with no complaints until now. I'm still not sure why this person is trying so hard to DQ my fish right now when they have one like it entered themselves but he should know that I do have another 2012 entry that is only 1/4" less. Not to mention 4 1/2 months left in which to fish for an even larger one. I guess friendship & respect have gone out the window for this person but they will find this out someday if they ever have to defend their own entries. I respect the decision of the committee on this matter. jim

It isn't about you, Jim. 

The NCKA spotted bass/smallie/hybrid conversation has been going on since 2011 (at least).  It is simply a differing opinion on species identification. I don't think the motivation of the competitor in question is to DQ any fish. I suspect the motivation is to reach a clear consensus on spotted/smallie bass identification for AOTY, and to further educate the angler (myself included). 

Since 2011 I have read and learned a lot about bass taxonomy solely prompted by the smallie/spotted bass photo ID debate.  Plus, it has given me an opportunity to heckle the guy who introduced spotted bass to Folsom lake (Berryessa too I think) . The spotted/smallie discussion is interesting for us pocket protector wearing pointy headed know-it-alls who like to debate about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

I'm asking bsteves what he thinks it is.  I think we can all agree that he is an expert in fish identification and is impartial.  We'll go with his "ruling", ok?

-Allen