# Spotted bass



## Timmypage16 (Jul 12, 2005)

My buddy and i went out fishing last night for smallmouth and ended up killing some spotted bass. We got some nice ones too. I caught one about 16 inches. I got on the ODNR website to see what a fish ohio was for one and there isnt even a fish ohio spotted bass. Any of you guys know why? I mean rock bass have a fish ohio why not Spotted?


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## bassin mickey (Apr 22, 2004)

Because there are no spotted bass in Ohio. That is a southern big impoundment fish.


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## timmyv (Apr 26, 2006)

I could be wrong but I believe there are spotted bass in ohio, they are like the kentucky spotted bass.


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## NITRO-RIDER (Jan 26, 2007)

About 3 Yrs Ago I Caught A Bass In A Marina , Around 2lbs, That I Would Swear Was A Spotted Bass. Also, I Could Be Wrong About It, But It Did Have The Teeth, Or Spikes On It's Tounge. Also The Shape Was Closer To A Spotted Bass. I Hav'nt Caught Many, But I Was On Kentcky Lake Later That Year, We Caught Several Of The Spots. That Just Reassured Me That It Was What I Caught. Still I Would'nt Argue The Fact Of The Species.


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## bassin mickey (Apr 22, 2004)

Tim: Never heard of any in central ohio. Maybe in the ohio river. Here is a picture of a spot caught in Georgia by my friend. Did yours' have markings like this?


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## the weav (Mar 22, 2007)

Im almost sure I caught some back in 90s at Ohio Power(aep)!?


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## timmyv (Apr 26, 2006)

You know what I don't believe it had those markings...that's a great looking fish....I caught what I though was a spotted bass in Big Walnut...it did have the rough tongue...but you know what it probably was just a largemouth, but a bit faded in color and probably about 11 inches or so...not good looking like that fish! You learn something everyday!


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## bassin mickey (Apr 22, 2004)

Tim: I stand corrected. Ohio lists a spotted bass in its' record book. It was taken out of lake White in 1976 and had a weight of 5.25. So we know for sure there was at least one of those babies around. Good luck. :B


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## timmyv (Apr 26, 2006)

Thanks for the info....I wish I had a picture to look more closely at it...I wouldn't put money on it that it was a spotted.


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## spot chaser (Apr 13, 2004)

You guys must never fish the Ohio or tribs.....

Note my handle.

There used to be a Fish Ohio award for Spots, since so few were turned in they dropped it.

I think it was 16' or 18" - I have a Fish Ohio cert somewhere for Spotted Bass.

- also my biggest is 18 or 19" - without looking at my records, from the Muskingum River.

I once caught 25 in 30 straight casts....

Yep - they are there and just as feisty as a smallmouth.


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

There is a decent population of them in the Ohio River. We caught a few last year at a creek mouth, with 2 going right around 3lbs. I usually get into them in the spring when I am fishing for white bass.

Jake


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

there are definitely spots in ohio and around columbus. there are a few in Big Darby, and I caught about a 15 incher out of a quarry that gets flooded by the big Darby last spring. If you catch enough largemouth its hard to miss when you catch a spot. They have a smaller mouth, more destict markings, and the rough spot on the tounge.


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## bassin mickey (Apr 22, 2004)

Well you just learn something about fishing every day you visit this site. Never figured central ohio for those guys. I guess an old fisherman can change his spots.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

I too thought there were no spots around here, and debated it hotly here years past, I was wrong... I caught 2 spots last year kayaking the big darby, and I was shocked. Later that fall I caught one kayaking the big walnut south of the city, so yes, spots are here!!!


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

the new cumberland and the pike island pools of the ohio are loaded with spots. saw multiple fish over 2 lbs weighed in at tournaments last year. that's pretty big for an ohio spot. i actually try to target them quite a bit in the summer. they group up so much sometimes you can catch 20- 30 without touching the trolling motor. the pic below is a beautiful fish, they don't alway's carry those markings on them when they're first caught. put one in the well for 20 min. and the markings really stand out.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

StuckAtHome said:


> I too thought there were no spots around here, and debated it hotly here years past, I was wrong... I caught 2 spots last year kayaking the big darby, and I was shocked. Later that fall I caught one kayaking the big walnut south of the city, so yes, spots are here!!!


I've also caught a couple small spots in the Upper Scioto, there probably caught more often then alot of us think, only to be incorectly identified as Largemouth.


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

I have caught them in the Scioto here in Columbus.


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## Bubba bass bigfoot (May 8, 2006)

i have caught them in the Big Darby. nothing of much size (7 inches LOL) but caught them.


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## jeffmo (Apr 7, 2004)

i've caught several in the hocking and lake white use to have them.
good looking fish.


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## magbass13 (Dec 27, 2006)

Yes there are spotted bass in ohio.
I caught a 2.5 lb spot from ceasers creek lake, 3 years ago in a tournament.
Also got my first triple. A largemouth 3.25 lbs-A smallmouth 2.25- A spot 2.5
all on crankbaits in middle may.
But that was my only spot .
Except for all the 12 and 13 inchers from the OHIO RIVER.


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## Timmypage16 (Jul 12, 2005)

YA the ones were were catching were in the big walnut and i thought they were largemouth but my buddy said there were spotted bass. Most of them were not very big just 7 or 8 inches but a few nice size one. They were in there good almost every cast they hit.


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## NewbreedFishing (Apr 15, 2004)

the licking river has spots as well as salt creek


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## midnight (Jul 12, 2004)

i caught some in the river also couple years ago.......three of em outa the same spot on three casts......sweet fighting fish


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## ValleyTracker (Jan 7, 2006)

Apple Valley Lake is loaded with spots. The biggest I have caught was 2.75 lbs. They sure are alot of fun when you get on a pack of them, they put up a good fight as well.


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

As mentioned earlier, the Hocking River has quite a few spots in it. As a matter of fact, the areas around campus seems to have just as many spots as largemouth, if not more. They have the similar markings to the picture provided and the small patch on the "tounge" found in spots. I think they put up a better fight than largemouth also.


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## Raker (May 9, 2004)

You cant beat Lake White for spotted bass. I have caught several nice ones from there.


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

Pretty sure, we caught one at Alum last year.
It was rather small, but I could have sworn it had teeth on his tounge.


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## BrianC (May 3, 2004)

EVery pool of the the Muskingum from Zanesville to the Ohio is loaded with spots and most tournaments are won with them. There are some good ones too. Nothing like you see in the lakes in Georgia or other southern locales but nice fish by Ohio standards. When it's on it's some of the best fishing there is - they can be extremely aggressive, offer a great fight and they can really gang up at times. We've had the "triple" on more than one occasion back when we fished a lot of river tourneys.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

I do not know if this has been resolved yet, but I was annoyed when I read that 'there were no spotted bass in Ohio'. Totally untrue. They are in all of the Ohio Rivers tribs. The EPA, ODNR, and many universities have marked a trend of the species progressing further northward in the past 50 years. They are quite abundant in Central Ohio streams.


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