Spotted bass live in fresh waters from Texas to Florida. They are also found in the Mississippi River. Anglers enjoy targeting these fish using various methods, including drift fishing, bait casting, fly fishing, and drift fishing.
Habitat: Lake, Pond
How to identify Spotted Bass
The spotted bass is a member of the sunfish family. It’s coloring is green with a lighter belly. It has irregular, connected large blotches along its sides that creat a horizontal line. Below that line, it has many smaller spots. Adult spotted bass have a visible dark spot at the base of their tails, while the spot on the tails of young fish is orange. Their first and second dorsal fins are connected, and the back of their second dorsal fin has scales. Their jawbones don’t extend past their eyes. They are lacking the vertical lines on the sides of their bodies that are found on the smallmouth bass. However, they’ve been known to cross-breed with the smallmouth bass, which sometimes makes them difficult to identify.
Where to catch Spotted Bass
The spotted bass is a freshwater fish that is native to the Mississippi River and along the Gulf of Mexico from Texas to Florida. They are found in basin and rivers, from Mississippi south to the Florida panhandle, and west to Texas. This includes the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. In Oklahoma, the Wichita spotted bass can be found only in West Cache creek.
The following are habitats where you can catch Spotted Bass:
- Cliffs and Steep Shore Banks
- Freshwater Lakes and Ponds
- Freshwater Weed Beds
- Gradual Shores
- Lake and Pond Fishing Holes
- Inlets and Outlets
- Open Water
- Piers, Docks and Pilings
- Points and Break Lines
- Rocks
- Springs Holes
- Sunken Objects
- Walkways and Bridges
How to catch Spotted Bass
Spotted bass are usually in waters from 40-70 feet deep. They can be caught using several different methods, such as drift fishing, bait casting, fly fishing, and drift fishing. Anglers view this as an enjoyable fish to catch as it can put up a decent fight once it is hooked. Since these fish aren’t that heavy, a light-medium spinning rod is all that is required.
The following are effective fishing methods and techniques for catching Spotted Bass:
Best Lures, Bait & Tackle to catch Spotted Bass
Plastic worms are good artificial bait, as are crankbaits and jerk baits. Bass fishing rigs are also effective for catching Spotted bass.
The following are fishing lures, bait and tackle that can be used to catch Spotted Bass:
