Other Common Names:

Kentucky Bass, Spot, Alabama Spotted Bass

State Record:

7 pounds 10 ounces

Identifying Features:

Spotted bass have an olive green back with dark, diamond shaped blotches above a white belly

Typical Adult:

Length: Up to 18 inches
Weight: Up to 3 pounds
Life span: Up to 7 years

Habitat:

Spotted bass inhabit clear, slow-moving, small to medium-sized streams and deep reservoirs. The preferred water temperature is around 75 °F.

Feeding Behavior:

Spotted bass feed on crayfish, small fish, and larval and adult insects.

Reproductive Behavior (Spawning):

When: Spring
Preferred Water Temperature: 63-68 °F
How: The male sweeps silt from the rock bottom near heavy cover, such as brush or logs, to make a nest. After the female lays eggs on the nest, the male fertilizes them and guards the eggs and the fry (young) for about a month.

Did You Know:

Spotted bass become lighter in color when the water becomes murkier.

Spotted bass are seldom found in natural lakes

A spotted bass subspecies known as the "Wichita spotted bass" is thought to be extinct.