Common names
Spots, Spotty
Spotted bass
Micropterus punctulatus
- Freshwater
- Least concern
Max length24.75 in
Common length11.75 in
Length typeTotal Length
Max weight10 lb 6 oz
Depth range0 - 99 ft
Max age7 years
Water typeFreshwater
Fish info
IUCN Vulnerability status
Short description
Spotted bass have a gold-green body with dark olive mottling that fades to a yellow-white belly. They have small black spots below a dark band along the middle of their side with a distinct black spot on the body right before the tail or caudal fin. Like all black basses except the largemouth, it has scales on the base portion of the second dorsal fin, its first and second dorsal fin are clearly connected, and its upper jaw bone does not extend back to or beyond the rear edge of the eyes. Juveniles often resemble the young smallmouth bass in having a broad band of orange at the base of the tail, followed by a broad black band and white edge. Spotted bass are known to hybridize with the smallmouth, which sometimes makes identification difficult.
Habitat
They tend to be found in areas with more water current than the largemouth, and usually inhabit areas that are too warm, turbid and sluggish for smallmouth bass. They usually occur around aquatic vegetation, submerged logs, and rock or riprap walls in small to large flowing streams, rivers, and reservoirs.
Distribution
North America: Mississippi River basin from southern Ohio and West Virginia to southeastern Kansas, and south to the Gulf of Mexico, USA; Gulf Slope drainages from Chattahoochee in Georgia to Guadalupe River in Texas, USA. Introduced in southern Africa and has become established in several isolated water bodies.
Behaviour
They're very aggressive just like smallmouth bass, they display constant aggression (regardless of the weather) and attack targets voracious. Spotted bass usually feed on small fishes, crayfish and aquatic insects. Like all bass, they feed by opening their mouths and creating negative pressure that sucks in the prey. Spawning occurs from April to May, the males build their nest in gravel or other substrates, to entice a female to deposit her eggs.
Edibility
Other than crappie (spotted bass) are the best-eating fish swimming in the lake. The sweet, flaky white filets are firmer than crappie and don't tend to fall apart on a grill.
Lure suggestion
Topwater poppers, walking plugs, and prop baits are most effective for catching spotted bass during the post-spawn or early summer. In late summer, it is best to fish deeper water by drop-shotting finesse worms along with the long tapering points or bluff ends. Good bait: blueback herring. (artificial lures usually more effective)
Similar species
Other similar species
Alabama spotted bass, Guadalupe bass, Shoal bass