Spotted bass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spotted bass |
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M. punctulatus
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| Micropterus punctulatus (Rafinesque, 1819)
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The spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus) is also known as the Kentucky Bass. It is a freshwater game fish that belongs to the sunfish family. This fish is a type of black bass that naturally lives in the lower and central Mississippi River area in North America.
Spotted bass have also been moved to other U.S. states, like California. They have even been introduced to other countries. People often confuse the spotted bass with the largemouth bass because they look similar. However, the spotted bass has a smaller mouth. It is also smaller than both the largemouth and smallmouth bass. In 1956, the spotted bass became the official game fish of Kentucky. That's why it's often called the Kentucky bass!
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Types of Spotted Bass
There are three main types, or subspecies, of spotted bass that scientists know about.
- The Alabama spotted bass (Micropterus p. henshalli). You can find these mostly in Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia.
- The northern spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus punctulatus). This is the most common type of spotted bass.
- The Wichita spotted bass (Micropterus p. wichitae). These live in the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma.
Sometimes, different types of bass can have babies together. For example, largemouth and spotted bass can create hybrid fish. These hybrid fish can be very hard to tell apart from their parents.
What Does a Spotted Bass Look Like?
The spotted bass has a slim body. It has black spots on its sides that form an uneven band as the fish gets older. Their color can be light green or light brown.
One special thing about the spotted bass is that it has a small patch of teeth on its tongue. This is different from the largemouth bass. They also have a large dark spot on their gill covers. The Alabama spotted bass has an extra dark spot on its tail. The Northern spotted bass also has a tail spot, but its gill spot is not as clear.
Most spotted bass weigh about four to five pounds. The biggest one ever caught, according to the IFGA (International Game Fish Association), weighed 10 pounds and 4 ounces!
Where Do Spotted Bass Live?
Spotted bass like moving water, like currents in rivers. They can handle warmer water than largemouth bass. This means they do well in streams and rivers. They also thrive in southern reservoirs that have rocky or gravel bottoms.
Like its relatives, the spotted bass is a carnivore, meaning it eats other animals. It will eat prey from the bottom of the water all the way to the surface. If they can find them, they mostly eat crayfish. They also hunt minnows, small catfish, and insects.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
When it's time to lay eggs, the male spotted bass builds one to four nests. He then defends these nests until the females lay their eggs. Female spotted bass lay fewer eggs than largemouth or smallmouth bass. After laying eggs, the female stays to help guard the nest for about a day before leaving.
The male then continues to guard the nest. He protects the eggs from fish like Bluegills that might try to eat them. He also guards the baby fish, called fry, after they hatch. Unlike other black basses, spotted bass often swim together in groups, called schools. Sometimes, you can see them chasing schools of shad in open water.
Fishing for Spotted Bass
Many fishermen catch spotted bass by accident when they are trying to catch largemouth or smallmouth bass. Spotted bass live in streams and rivers, similar to smallmouth bass. However, they cannot handle water that is too cold. They also can't live in very warm water with low oxygen saturation, unlike largemouths. Otherwise, they often share the same waters.
Once hooked, the spotted bass is a strong fighter, much like the smallmouth bass. But unlike their cousins, spotted bass usually don't jump out of the water when caught. The same lures that work for other black bass also attract spotted bass. However, because they really love to eat crayfish, any lure that looks like a crayfish is very effective. In the middle of summer, spotted bass in reservoirs can be found as deep as 100 feet. So, fishermen need to get their lures deep enough to find them!
