Spotted Bass - A Real Fighter!

Nothing is more fun than hooking a big spotted bass!
Thousands of Alabama anglers seek the popular largemouth bass as their primary target, although many say that catching a spotted bass gives them a better fight. Both species live in many Alabama lakes, explaining why you can catch the occasional “spot” while fishing for largemouth bass. Spotted bass are well known for their aggressiveness once hooked, however there are many other distinct differences between these two black bass species.

Spotted bass prefer cooler water. This is why you don't find them in farm ponds where

summer surface water temperatures can reach 90 degrees. They also favor areas low in turbidity, which excludes sites that receive excessive runoff. Spotted bass tend to stay in rocky areas and avoid those with mud bottoms and dense vegetation. Two Alabama reservoirs that have excellent populations of spotted bass include Smith Lake and Lake Martin, both of which are deep, clear water systems with abundant steep rock ledges.

Spotted bass reach sexual maturity when they are one to two years old or about 10 inches long. The normal spawning period in Alabama lakes occurs from mid-April to late May, depending on geographical location. The spotted bass spawning period typically lasts around 30-45 days. This is much shorter than the largemouth, which can last over 65 days. Spotted bass generally spawn deeper than largemouth bass and nest sites can be at depths from 3 to 21 feet.

Adult spotted bass primarily eat crawfish, fish and insects, with a strong preference to crawfish. In one study, stomach analysis revealed that crawfish made up 73 percent of the total diet of spotted bass.

You will find two types of spotted bass in Alabama. The Kentucky spotted bass is found in the Tennessee River drainage in North Alabama, while the Alabama spotted bass is restricted to the upper Mobile Basin. The Alabama spotted bass usually grows bigger than the Kentucky. The current Alabama record for spotted bass is 8 pounds 15 ounces and was caught from Smith Lake in the late 1970s. This fish once held the world record and still remains one of the largest spots ever caught. Spotted bass do not achieve weights as heavy as the largemouth bass but, pound for pound, I feel the spotted bass is second to none.

Get Hooked! on the BamaBassFishing Newsletter. Sign up below and get a free gift.

Return from Spotted Bass to Alabama Bass Fishing

footer for spotted bass page