Freshwater · Spring and fall; deep points in summer

Spotted Bass

Micropterus punctulatus

The largemouth's river-loving cousin — spotted bass school on rocky points and current seams from Georgia to the Ozarks, hit small baits with total commitment, and pull like smallmouth.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Spotted Bass — Photo: Fishes of Texas team, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Rows of dark spots BELOW the lateral line — the field mark that separates it from largemouth
A rough patch of teeth on the tongue — feel for sandpaper where a largemouth's tongue is smooth
Jaw ends below the eye and does NOT extend past it, even on big fish
Connected dorsal fin with a shallow notch, and a clear horizontal dark stripe along the side
Look-alike: largemouth bass have no spots below the lateral line and a jaw that reaches past the eye; spotted bass have both the spots and the tongue patch

Habits

A fish of moving water and rock: spots love current seams, rocky points and creek arms
Schools more than largemouth — where you catch one spotted bass, you'll usually catch several
Feeds heavily on crayfish and shad; in summer it suspends over deep points
Spawns in spring on gravel in protected pockets, like its cousins

Distribution

Austin, TX · Texas — Inland Lakes★ Primary

Minneapolis, MN · Midwest★ Primary

Charleston, SC · Southeast★ Primary

San Francisco, CA · CaliforniaCommon

Phoenix, AZ · SouthwestCommon

Bismarck, ND · Great PlainsCommon

Norfolk, VA · Mid-AtlanticCommon

Toronto, ON · Great LakesOccasional

Where to find them

Lake Lanier, Georgia — the most famous spotted bass lake in the world
Table Rock and the White River chain in the Ozarks
California's Shasta and Oroville reservoirs (introduced giants)

Where they live

River runs and current seamsReservoir points and ledgesRocky creek arms

How to catch them

Finesse on the points

Rig: Light spinning gear, 1/8 oz head and a 4-5 in worm

Bait/lure: Ned rig or shaky-head finesse worm

Key tip: Spots gang up — work a productive point thoroughly before moving on.

Cranking rock

Rig: Medium casting rod, shallow crankbait banged off rock and wood

Bait/lure: Small square-bill crankbaits in crawfish colours

Key tip: In current, cast upstream and let the bait hunt through the seam — spots live for crayfish.

Best baits & lures

Small crankbaits and jerkbaitsNed rigs and shaky-head wormsSpinnerbaits in current seams

Techniques Academy →

Baseline setup

Rod: 7' medium casting or spinning rod
Line: 10-14 lb fluorocarbon or mono
Terminal: Ned rigs, shaky heads, small crankbaits, tube jigs

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

7'3" medium-heavy casting rod

≈ US$100-150

One rod for jigs, Texas rigs and frogs — the bass workhorse.

Reel · Budget

7.1:1 baitcasting reel

≈ US$80-120

Fast retrieve for pitching and quickly taking up slack on hooksets.

Line · Budget

15 lb fluorocarbon (200 yd)

≈ US$18-25

Invisible in clear water, sensitive on rock, abrasion resistant.

Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 1-2 lb; large specimens 4-6 lb (world-class fish to 10 lb)

On the table

Good — same sweet, white flesh as largemouth; most river fish are released.

Similar species

Largemouth BassLargemouth have a smooth tongue, no spots below the lateral line, and a jaw past the eye; spots have the tongue patch and spotted belly rows

Guadalupe BassGuadalupe bass are Texas stream fish with diamond blotches along the lateral line; spotted bass are lake-and-big-river fish across the whole Southeast and Midwest

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

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