Spotted Trophy Bass or just a decent LMB?

So, just got back from an amazing trip from Watauga Res. After many successful trips and catching several bass between 4-6 pounds, probably 25+ bass total, and 10-12 small mouth and a lot of blue gill, we got a called Watauga Joe to get us some lake Trout. We were unsuccessful pulling any into the boat. Hooked three and lost them. Anyways. I showed Watauga Joe the LMB I caught and he was impressed. Then he told me one is a Spotted Bass. Then he told me it's a Trophy Fish, a spotted bass over 17 inches is a Trophy fish. So I was pretty excited and we compared the two and he convinced me it's a spotted bass. But some people I talk to say its a LMB, and not a spotted bass. It's pretty hard for me to tell the difference so I'd like to get some opinions before I keep bragging about getting a 21.5" Trophy Fish. My girlfriend hopes it's not a Spotted Bass so I shut up and quit bragging about catching a Trophy fish. Either way it's a nice catch. Anyways. It has a black spot on the back of its gill and it doesn't look like the jaw extends behind the eyeball. Can I get some help so I can rub it in my girlfriends face!!!