Spotted Bass Fishing

The spotted bass is a freshwater game fish notable for being cousins with North America’s largemouth and smallmouth bass. The spotted bass belong to the black bass group which actually belongs to the sunfish family.  The more notable of the black bass (but not true bass) are the largemouth and smallmouth bass and related species such as the spotted, Suwannee, redeye and Guadalupe are smaller in population when compared with the large and small-mouth bass.  Though considered by most bass angler as the “runt” of the black bass group, fishing for a spotted bass is still quite challenging.

In North America, the spotted bass is commonly known as the Kentucky bass. Of late, another species of the spotted bass has been identified and is called the Alabama bass. The spotted bass is often mistaken for a largemouth bass because of their colors but as one looks closely the spotted bass has a smaller mouth and its tongue has an irregular tooth patch. It is called “spotted” because of the seemingly irregularly-shaped dark spots on its olive-greenish body.Adult spotted bass grows to a length of 12 to 17 inches but can be as large as 25 inches. Its average weight is about 3 to 4 lbs but world record is 9 lbs and 9 oz.

Tips for Spotted Bass Fishing

Spotted bass are easier to hook than its largemouth bass cousins as they are more aggressive. They are more easily coaxed into biting especially when sighted in open water. Though they also prefer to inhabit underwater structures like pilings, docks, weed beds and the likes.  They also prefer coves and undercuts on rocky shorelines.  Spotted bass also prefer clear water and flowing streams.Spotted bass prefer to swim in schools and are not “loners” like the largemouth bass. They tend to group together by age. If you catch a 2-pounder, it’s likely that you’ll catch other spotted bass in the same weight range.Spawning is in April and May usually at the mouths of tributary rivers and streams.  The male spotted bass guard the eggs that they have fertilized until they hatch.You can catch a spotted bass even in the fall season as they are quite hardy in cold water. The trick is to find a deeper spot in the lake or river as spotted bass are most likely to hug the rocky bottom part of the body of water.

Tackle and Gear for Spotted Bass Fishing

Most spotted bass anglers agree that light and ultralight tackle are the best gear to use for spotted bass fishing. An ultralight tackle is just a light spinning rod fitted with a reel that holds a 2 to 6 pound line with small lures.  A spotted bass rarely goes beyond the 2-3 pounds anyway.

Light flyrods are also recommended. Fly lures that work best are leeches, nymphs and crayfish. Poppers and terrestrials are best used for night fishing when spotted bass prefer to actively “bite” on the surface.  A jerkbait rod will also do well when jigging for spotted in deeper water.

Where are the Spotted Bass?

Where there are trout and largemouth bass, there is bound to be a spotted bass population. One avid spotted bass angler has five favorite spots for spotted bass fishing:  Bull Shoals; Table Rock; Pine Flats and Lake Shasta in California and the Alabama River.

The spotted bass is abundant in the southern part of North America from Florida to Texas. However, there is bound to be spotted bass in every lake, river, stream and reservoir in North America. In Missouri try the Big River; Birch Lake in Oklahoma; Blue River in Indiana; Catahoula Lake in Louisiana; Lake Bowen in South Carolina and more.

Resources:

http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/fish/bassblack/spotted/

http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/fish.cfm?ID=35

http://flyfishing.about.com/od/fishspecies/a/SpottedBass.htm