<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="7">Hip-Hip-Hoorayyyy!!!!!!</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman">Press Release in Response to Black Bass Identification Questions</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman"><date year="2008" day="28" month="3" />March 28, 2008</date /> </font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">The TWRA recently became aware of an oversight in the 2008 Tennessee Fishing Guide that has resulted in considerable confusion for some black bass anglers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The confusion relates to the statement on page 14 of the fishing guide which reads "Any Black Bass with a tooth patch to be considered a Spotted Bass."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although the term Black Bass typically refers to largemouth, smallmouth, spotted and <place />Coosa</place /> bass, TWRA never intended the tooth patch to be the only species characteristic to be used to differentiate smallmouth from spotted bass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Rather this characteristic was to be used to differentiate a largemouth bass from a spotted bass for regulation purposes only.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A tooth patch is exactly what the words imply- a series of teeth in the tongue- the same type teeth that are on the jaw.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" />
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Species identification is normally the angler's responsibility; however the TWRA developed the current tooth patch regulation in 1999 to reduce or eliminate confusion over distinguishing spotted bass from largemouth bass, particularly in interactions between wildlife officers and anglers. It was intended to be a convenience to the angler and wildlife officer not an absolute species determining characteristic- hence the use of the word “considered.” <font color="#ff3333">For enforcement purposes if the fish in question had a tooth patch it would be considered a spotted bass not a largemouth bass.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font color="#ff3333"> </font> </span>Largemouth bass rarely have a tooth patch (about 1 out of 100-150) so TWRA felt that using this characteristic would help reduce angler-officer conflicts. Smallmouth bass were never part of this distinction because their brown coloration easily distinguishes them from the other two species. Although the wording changed slightly in this year's fishing guide, the regulation is the same now as it was in 1999.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" />
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">This issue was further complicated this year because of an inaccurate statement on page 38 in the fishing guide that indicated that smallmouth bass do not have a tooth patch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is not the case in many parts of <state /><place />Tennessee</place /></state /> where a tooth patch may be present in smallmouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The TWRA is asking anglers to ignore the statement regarding a tooth patch in smallmouth bass, to practice ethical angling in regard to creel and length limits, and to use common sense when identifying black bass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The pictures on page 38 of the fishing guide are still accurate - the smallmouth is the brown bass that looks nothing like a spotted or largemouth bass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><font color="#ff0066">A smallmouth is a smallmouth, whether it has a tooth patch or not.</font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" color="#ff0066"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">
</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">The TWRA recently became aware of an oversight in the 2008 Tennessee Fishing Guide that has resulted in considerable confusion for some black bass anglers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The confusion relates to the statement on page 14 of the fishing guide which reads "Any Black Bass with a tooth patch to be considered a Spotted Bass."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although the term Black Bass typically refers to largemouth, smallmouth, spotted and <place />Coosa</place /> bass, TWRA never intended the tooth patch to be the only species characteristic to be used to differentiate smallmouth from spotted bass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Rather this characteristic was to be used to differentiate a largemouth bass from a spotted bass for regulation purposes only.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A tooth patch is exactly what the words imply- a series of teeth in the tongue- the same type teeth that are on the jaw.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" />
<font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Species identification is normally the angler's responsibility; however the TWRA developed the current tooth patch regulation in 1999 to reduce or eliminate confusion over distinguishing spotted bass from largemouth bass, particularly in interactions between wildlife officers and anglers. It was intended to be a convenience to the angler and wildlife officer not an absolute species determining characteristic- hence the use of the word “considered.” <font color="#ff3333">For enforcement purposes if the fish in question had a tooth patch it would be considered a spotted bass not a largemouth bass.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font color="#ff3333"> </font> </span>Largemouth bass rarely have a tooth patch (about 1 out of 100-150) so TWRA felt that using this characteristic would help reduce angler-officer conflicts. Smallmouth bass were never part of this distinction because their brown coloration easily distinguishes them from the other two species. Although the wording changed slightly in this year's fishing guide, the regulation is the same now as it was in 1999.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" />
<font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">This issue was further complicated this year because of an inaccurate statement on page 38 in the fishing guide that indicated that smallmouth bass do not have a tooth patch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is not the case in many parts of <state /><place />Tennessee</place /></state /> where a tooth patch may be present in smallmouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The TWRA is asking anglers to ignore the statement regarding a tooth patch in smallmouth bass, to practice ethical angling in regard to creel and length limits, and to use common sense when identifying black bass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The pictures on page 38 of the fishing guide are still accurate - the smallmouth is the brown bass that looks nothing like a spotted or largemouth bass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><font color="#ff0066">A smallmouth is a smallmouth, whether it has a tooth patch or not.</font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" color="#ff0066"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">
