spotted bass

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
I'm curious about how many around here have caught spotted bass in NC waters - and if folks know how to ID them. I've only caught them in recent years - at least as far as I knew. I've got one "secret" small water spot that almost guarantees a spotted bass or two every time out.
 

JWH15

Six Pointer
Do you mean in not popular waters? Go to Gaston and you can catch all you want, or Norman.
 

gpduxbak

Six Pointer
Caught this one Monday in belews lake. They are abundant. He will have a rough tongue patch and dark spots towards his belly. Also his dorsal fin is solid where a largemouth has a break in it.
 

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Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
Watched a video of a guy catching “spotted bass” like crazy a couple weeks ago on buggs island. He was putting every fish pretty close to the camera. Every single one of them were largemouth. I sent him a message and informed him and he just said he “thought” some of them were spots. Kinda funny how even some experienced fisherman can’t tell the difference. In North Carolina I have caught them in all of the mountain lakes, norman, hickory, rhodhiss, lookout, belews, Kerr Scott, and the upper yadkin river(which I believe were Kentucky spots). I am thankful for every last one of them. I would like to catch some river spots but to my knowledge none of the rivers close to me have them. I keep hoping that some will show up in badin and the ones in tillery will start multiplying.
 
Lake Chatuge is full of them. Ive caught hundreds out of there. Not hard to tell them apart at all. The dark spots on them give them away. Totaly different colors than a large mouth. You can tell by the jaw line and the tooth patch as well.
 

CharlesIngalls

Six Pointer
Watched a video of a guy catching “spotted bass” like crazy a couple weeks ago on buggs island. He was putting every fish pretty close to the camera. Every single one of them were largemouth. I sent him a message and informed him and he just said he “thought” some of them were spots. Kinda funny how even some experienced fisherman can’t tell the difference. In North Carolina I have caught them in all of the mountain lakes, norman, hickory, rhodhiss, lookout, belews, Kerr Scott, and the upper yadkin river(which I believe were Kentucky spots). I am thankful for every last one of them. I would like to catch some river spots but to my knowledge none of the rivers close to me have them. I keep hoping that some will show up in badin and the ones in tillery will start multiplying.
I've heard that Spots, when introduced to a new body of water can take it over in the long run. @red neck richie Didn't Chatuge have a fairly decent population of small mouth that is now in decline since the spotted bass were introduced? I have also heard reports from Norman that 95% of the bass in that lake are now spotted bass. Sure they're fun to catch, but I would still take a solid 6-8lb largemouth over a dozen spots any day.
 
I've heard that Spots, when introduced to a new body of water can take it over in the long run. @red neck richie Didn't Chatuge have a fairly decent population of small mouth that is now in decline since the spotted bass were introduced? I have also heard reports from Norman that 95% of the bass in that lake are now spotted bass. Sure they're fun to catch, but I would still take a solid 6-8lb largemouth over a dozen spots any day.
Absolutly! There are no small mouth left in Chatuge. I agree with ya but that wasnt what the op asked.
 

CharlesIngalls

Six Pointer
Absolutly! There are no small mouth left in Chatuge. I agree with ya but that wasnt what the op asked.
Yeah I didn't mean to hijack the thread, just piggy backing after reading some other posts.

To the OP, I have heard that the surest way to tell the difference is the rough patch on the tongue. Honestly don't think I have caught one as the lakes I fish don't have a spotted bass population 🤞🤞🤞hope it stays that way too.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
More than I care to remember in Norman. They’re a PITA. Makes me miss largemouth 😂, and I never thought I’d say that. If all one cares about is generic pullage, go to Norman with anything that wiggles, on UL or L tackle and spots likely won’t disappoint.
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
I've heard that Spots, when introduced to a new body of water can take it over in the long run. @red neck richie Didn't Chatuge have a fairly decent population of small mouth that is now in decline since the spotted bass were introduced? I have also heard reports from Norman that 95% of the bass in that lake are now spotted bass. Sure they're fun to catch, but I would still take a solid 6-8lb largemouth over a dozen spots any day.


I could write a book here on my observations of the introduction of spotted bass but I won’t deviate from the original post too far. that is not the case in every fishery. Just the ones that favor spotted bass habitat.
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
That being said I started catching spots on a local section of pretty small water after the hurricane/floods a couple years ago
 
Lmfao I was sitting here trying to see if he was trying to be funny or whether he’s a dang pitbull lol
It was a joke! Everyone is so sensitive nowadays. You can’t even kid around anymore. I do like how some people can’t take a joke though. I guess I should have put a wink emoji.;) That spot would have been a good one next year though! ;) ;);)
 
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YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
It was a joke! Everyone is so sensitive nowadays. You can’t even kid around anymore. I do like how some people can’t take a joke though. I guess I should have put a wink emoji.;) That spot would have been a good one next year though! ;) ;);)
Hahah I wouldn’t have bothered me either way. It was a nice surprise reading all the responses about spotted bass and then BAM! Richie goes for the jugular!
 
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