Spotted bass. The deep, clear-water cousin of the Ozarks.
SIZE
10–17 in
MAX
24 in
WEIGHT
Up to 8 lbs
HABITAT
RiversReservoirsLakes
Deep, clear reservoirs. Rocky points, bluff walls, river current.
DIET
Crawfish, shad, small minnows.
BEST BAITS
Drop shot · Shaky head · Spoons
SEASONAL PATTERN
BEST🌱SPRING
☀️SUMMER
🍂FALL
❄️WINTER
Summer: Suspend deep on bluff ends.
ANGLER INTEL · RIGHT NOWHIGH CONFIDENCE
DEPTH
2–6 ft
shallow cover
TIMING
Any time today — steady bite
TOP LURE · LURE
Drop shot
reaction strikes on bed — aggressive
TACKLE
Medium spinning, 8–10 lb fluorocarbon
TECHNIQUE · Slow presentation in shallow cover
ANGLER STATS
SPAWN 60–70°F TEMP MATCH
BITE
76
FIGHT
84
STEALTH
70
FUN FACT
Spotted bass have a small patch of teeth on the tongue — slide a finger across and you'll feel sandpaper. It's the easiest way to tell them from a largemouth in the boat.
STATUS
Secure
Native · Centrarchidae
LIVE PFG SIGNAL69°F · Beaver Lake● GO 100
YOUR CARD · ACTIONSNOT YET COLLECTED
🪪 ID marks
Tongue patch
Rows of small spots below lateral line
Diamond cheek scales
💡 Tips
Fish vertical on bluffs
Smaller bait than largemouth
Drop shot for finicky fish
🌙 Lunar profile
MEDIUM Lunar ImpactBest phases: Full Moon
☀️ Daytime
Rocky points, ledges, and mid-depth cover. Behaves similarly to Smallmouth with moderate lunar sensitivity.
🌙 Nighttime
Moderate night activity near Full Moon. Finesse presentations along deep structure.