Habitat
Spotted bass are found throughout the Ohio river basin as well as the central and lower Mississippi river basin. The species may be found in Gulf Coast states from Texas east to Florida. You can also find them out west in some lakes and reservoirs. Spotted bass are not nearly as abundant as their largemouth bass and smallmouth bass counterparts.
There are so many good fishing rigs for catching spotted bass.
Live Baits
Spotted bass will eat a variety of baits, however, the most popular live baits that anglers use are nightcrawlers, minnows and leeches.
Lures
There are so many different lures for catching spotted bass. They will eat pretty much everything a largemouth bass or smallmouth bass will eat. They do have smaller mouths, so some of the finesse-sized baits tend to work better.
Rod & Reel Recommendations
Anglers usually use spinning rods and reels as well as baitcasters to fish for spotted bass. In clear water, you may want to finesse it up and break out the spinning gear. In murkier water, the baitcasters work great. On lakes with bigger spotted bass, the baitcasters may be better.
Fishing Line Recommendations
In clear water, go lighter with 6 to 8 pound line and use fluorocarbon leaders. In murkier waters, you can go heavier, however, 10 to 12 pound line is fine for most situations.
Eating Spotted Bass
Spotted bass are a sport fish, however, some people do eat them. On many of the lakes they are found, most people are more into the largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, so it doesn’t bother as many people to see some spotted bass being taken home for a fish fry. If you do choose to eat them, please practice selective harvest.
