# Why I hate Spotted Bass



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

They're, tough, aggressive fighters. They'll hit most any bait thrown their way. But I hate them, and here's why..
First, they aren't native here in NC. Second, they will out compete largemouth and smallmouth for prime spawning locations.
And, they will sometimes hybridize with the other two. 
They are in many of our lakes and rivers now.
Ten years ago, Lake Chatuge in the mountains was a fabulous smallmouth fishery, and a good largemouth lake as well. 
A few years ago, spots started showing up in surveys. Today, they make up nearly 79% of the bass surveyed in the lake.
Lake Norman used to known for stripers and largemouth. Stripers are no longer stocked, because of a small forage base.
Spots began showing up in surveys around ten years ago, (along with white perch), and now these two invaders are the primary targets for guides on the lake.
The largemouth are holding their own in the southern sections of the lake, but still are diminishing to the point of being just 22% of the bass in the lake.
Beautiful Fontana lake in the western mountains is now under attack. A great fishery for many fish species, from walleye, musky, trout in the creeks, largemouth, smallmouth, and now, spots. Spots are again beginning to dominate the surveys, most recently being 53% of black bass surveyed. 
They are now in the Yadkin River, so it won't be long before they are in High Rock and the other Yadkin chain of lakes.
The Neuse down east also has them, so it appears there's nowhere they can't survive.
Belews Lake north of Winston Salem now has them, where they make up 45% of bass surveyed. (five years ago, they were 12%)
They have a legendary reputation for being pugnacious fighters. I have only caught three, and think they fight not much different from largemouth.
No way I want to trade my 7 or 8 pound largemouth for a three pound spot. Just go online and look at the ads from these Lake Norman guides.
Grinning like a mule eating briers while they hold up some scrawny, 14 inch spot.
I don't get some guys fascination with them. Give me the fat, acrobatic smallie, or the tough bulldog pull of a chunky largemouth any day over these skinny snakes called spotted bass!


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

An update. The NCWRC has raised the smallmouth limit from 12 inches to 14 inches, just like largemouth.
And, to protect our two native fish, they added the spotted bass to that limit as well.
Now, keep in mind, I don't keep any of these fish, always practice catch and release. But I hate to think the invading spot will be afforded protection just because they resemble the others. Sad.


----------



## Bassthumb (Aug 22, 2008)

Too hard for people to distinguish between LM and spot. With different length limits you would have too many keeping undersized largies and claiming they thought they were spots.


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Yeah, I realize that. But it's still sad to me. I have friends who bemoan the fact that big largemouth are hard to find in Norman. Maybe educating the public would help? I can tell a spot from a largemouth 30 feet away. lol


----------

