When we think of species of black bass, most will either think of largemouth or smallmouth bass. That's because those species are far more heavily fished than today's topic, that being the spotted bass, otherwise known as "spots". Spots look very similar to a largemouth from a distance, but once you learn the differences, telling them apart is actually very easy. One of those ways is to look at their jaw. A largemouths jaw will extend past the eye, while a smallmouth's jaw will end before the eye. The spotted bass's jaw will end almost perfectly inline with their eye. Another way to tell a spot from a largemouth is their tooth patch on their tongue. Spots will have a rough tooth patch on their tongue, unlike a largemouth. The last way is to look at the lateral lines. Spots will have green lateral lines that run down their side. Largemouth will have a few, but won't ever run down their entire side like spotted bass does.
Even though spots aren't known for their potential size like largemouth, they can still exceed 10lbs! Not to mention they can swim incredibly fast, making their fights one to remember!
Where to Locate Spotted Bass
Spotted bass will follow very similar patterns (read the where to locate largemouth section) that all other species of black bass will follow. This means that during the spring and fall, you'll want to fish shallow. In spring, look for beds. Run back into creeks connected to the main-lake. If you don't find a bed, still fish up shallow, deep into coves. In fall, just make sure you find the bait first. During fall, spots will push bait up really shallow. This means just about any shallow shoreline could have bass on it, just find the bait first. In summer, top-water will be the move at first light, even if you're in 20ft of water. As the day warms up, the fish will head back out deep, staying close to cover. In the winter, bass will slow down their eating habits. They move out deep and stay out deep until spring comes back around. They stick close to off-shore cover, like trees, stumps, and brush.
Best Baits for Spotted Bass
Spots can be taken on a number of lures. But like every other species of bass, their depths will dictate what you throw at them. In the spring when they're shallow, jigs and Texas rigs are the best choice, although a wacky rig or ned rig can also work. In summer, you'll either want a popper in the mornings or late evenings, or something that can reach deep depths, like a football jig or drop-shot during the daytime. In fall you want shad imitations. Things like jerk baits, lipless crank bait, and square bill cranks are good options. Remember in fall fish are moving constantly in search of bait, so don't be afraid to move around until you find a school of shad. In winter, you'll most likely be in deeper water, so finding the fish can be a bit trickier. If you're able to find off-shore cover, throw ned rigs and drop-shots. You could also use finesse jigs.
Hopefully this post gives you a little more insight on chasing spotted bass, so get on out there and fish on!
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