Saltwater · Year-round inside bays; best from spring to fall when the water warms
Spotted Bay Bass
Paralabrax maculatofasciatus
The bay specialist of Southern California's famous 'three bass', alongside barred sand bass and kelp bass. Covered in orange-brown spots, the 'spottie' lives its whole life inside bays and harbours, is loved by shore anglers, and has a strong catch-and-release culture around it.
Seasons · Peak
Identifying features
- Orange-brown spots covering the body, head and fins — unmistakable
- Olive-brown back fading to a pale belly
- Tall second dorsal fin, higher than in barred sand bass
- Deep, compressed bass body with a blunt head
- Small dark bars sometimes show faintly under the spots on juveniles
Habits
- Stays inside bays, harbours and estuaries rather than the open coast
- Ambushes shrimp, crabs and small fish from eelgrass and dock shade
- Feeds best on a moving tide and in low light
- Adults hold small home ranges around favourite structure
- Most anglers release spotties, keeping bay populations healthy
Distribution
Where to find them
- Eelgrass flats and docks in Newport Harbor
- Mission Bay bridges, rocks and grass flats
- The back-bay channels and flats of San Diego Bay
Where they live
How to catch them
Small swimbaits, blades and creature baits around bay structure Shore
Rig: Light jighead or weedless swimbait worked slowly through eelgrass lanes, along docks and over bay rock
Bait/lure: Small swimbaits, blade baits and creature baits
Key tip: Fish the shade lines of docks and the edges of eelgrass — spotties ambush from cover, not open water.
Light jigheads with shrimp in harbours Shore
Rig: 1/8-3/8 oz (3.5-10 g) jighead tipped with shrimp or a small plastic, hopped slowly along harbour bottom and pilings
Bait/lure: Shrimp pieces and small plastics
Key tip: Keep it slow and near bottom on a moving tide; bites are often a soft tick as the jig falls.
Best baits & lures
Baseline setup
- Rod: Light-medium 6.5-7 ft spinning rod
- Line: 8-14 lb braid with a light leader
- Terminal: Jigheads 1/8-3/8 oz, small weedless swimbaits
Recommended gear for this species
Rod · Best value
7'6" medium-heavy jigging rod
≈ US$110-170
Works 2-6 oz jigs over rock and reef and still has the backbone to lift a halibut off the bottom.
Line · Budget
50 lb braid with 40 lb leader (200 yd)
≈ US$25-40
Thin braid cuts the current so jigs stay vertical; the leader shrugs off rock and teeth.
Terminal · Budget
Leadhead jigs, swimbaits and two-hook bottom rigs
≈ US$25-40
A leadhead with a swimbait tail is the universal bottom-fish catcher, from rockfish to cod to flounder.
Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.
Typical size
Common 0.5-1.5 lb (0.2-0.7 kg); large fish to about 3 lb (1.4 kg)
On the table
Fair to good, but most Southern California anglers release spotties — the local culture is catch-and-release.
Similar species
Barred Sand BassBarred sand bass has grey vertical bars instead of spots and works open-coast sand flats; spotted bay bass is spot-covered and stays inside bays
Kelp BassKelp bass is mottled olive-brown without round orange spots and lives in kelp on the open coast; spotties are spot-covered bay fishRegulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →
Plan a trip for Spotted Bay Bass
Build today's plan