My lake is now being infiltrated with the spotted bass and I would like to know if they prefer the same depth as the smallmouth.  Do they eat fish eggs and small fry of the bass and other species?  Smallmouth are still doing good but I believe the walleye are suffering from the introduction of the spots.  What can you tell me about the habits of these 'trash fish."  I'm sorry, but that is what walleye fishermen call them.  I'm going to catch it for that remark.

If your from Marietta, GA then your lakes have been take over by spots for over 10 years now LOL. 

Yes they have and that is why I do not fish for them or fish at all here anymore.  I am talking of Lake Fontana in N.C..  where there is a lot less pressure on the fish. 

I hate to hear that. > :'( I grew up fishing Fontana and still do from time to time. I am afraid it's over soon for the smallmouth. I saw them take over Chatuge and Chatuge was a much better lake when the spots weren't there. On the bright side it wasn't long until someone put bluebacks in Chatuge and I am sure they will eventualy find there way to Fontana when everyone gets tired of catching ten inch spots.

If it helps any the last place you could catch any Smallmouths in Chatuge was a steep rock wall offshore that droped into eighty feet of water which Fontana has way more of than Chatuge . For some reason they lasted longer there than other parts of the lake. For the most part Smallmouth and Spots like the same areas and depths. Biggest difference to me between the two is that smallmouths seem to bite better when the sun is out where spots feed better early and late.

Any of the other lakes in the area have spots yet?

Any of the other lakes in the area have spots yet?

Tons of em in Lake Norman.

In the last 3+ years we catch many more Spots than Largemouth in the Flint River south of the Albany Dam.  It is about a 1 to 1, Spots to Shoal Bass.   In lake Blackshear, we rarely catch Spots (odd).

I don't get it...There should be no limits for spots

or white bass. Keep and kill them all.

8-)

dont have spots up this way.....Why do people dislike them?

They displace smallmouth in the make up a lake where they're introduced.

They do booger up a fishery due to their aggressiveness and people think smallies are meaner    I love'em.  Sucks that they wipe out other species but I still love catching them. 

They are fun to catch, like small footballs (short and wide), and for they're size, they fight really well.   They just do not have size/weight of Largemouth and seem to drive the Largemouth out.  It is a shame, Largemouth, Spots, and Shoal bass in the same water would be great.

Spots are very fun to catch, and can get to be descent size. It seems Smallmouth are as aggressive or more aggresive. Many times I've heard spots are too aggresive in the lake and should be killed when caught. Does anyone have any articles that can be read that states that?

Gregory,  I don't think the DNR could state something like that in an article without the poop hitting the fan.  Once spots are in the lake their really is no way to get them out..  Alot of the north GA lakes used to be primarily Largemouth lakes.  Now many of them are 90% spots 10% largemouth.  Even some of the famed Largemouth Lakes like West Point are quickly becoming known as spot lakes.  IT will more than likely trickle down the Chattahootchie towards Eufaula and Seminole.  Everything on the Coosa already has a significant Spotted Bass population.

Mike

To all of you fine fellas, I am going to "harvest" every spot I catch in the course of my smallmouth and walleye fishing.  I know the spots are affecting my targets and thus my dinner menu as far as the walleye. Die spot, die.  Now I feel better

how do the spotted bass get into the ponds and lakes?

The fisheries biologists say that they (sotted bass) can infiltrate naturally.  I am more inclined to think that some rednecks want these fish closer to home so they do not have to travel to Allatoona or Lanier, or even Blue Ridge, so they carry them back in their livewells.  Anyone else out there believe that theory?  I know that is how the bluebacks are being introduced elsewhere. >

Spots are beast. 

Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass have different ideal habitats. Spots do better in warm water, low visibility situations than smallies who need cold clear water. Both spots and smallies favor current and spawn deeper than largemouths who favor shallow, low-current situations. The changes in water conditions over time favor one species over another. If the smallmouth population declines due to warming water and/or less visibility from increased nutrients like lawn fertilizers, spots will increase. I count that as a good thing because instead of dead water, there will still be bass to catch! Spots aren't an invasive exotic species. Most rivers in the SE have healthy populations of them, and most lakes are fed by rivers.  Treating them like an invasive exotic species from Mars just ain't rational.

Things really must be different in the SE.  We have spots, smallies and largemouth in all of our lakes.  The spots haven't increased near like the smallmouth in the last decade or so.  In fact Table Rock is the only lake with a really good spot population.

On 11/5/2009 at 11:09 AM, crw said:

In the last 3+ years we catch many more Spots than Largemouth in the Flint River south of the Albany Dam.  It is about a 1 to 1, Spots to Shoal Bass.   In lake Blackshear, we rarely catch Spots (odd).

I know this is an old post... I fish the Oconee River out of Milledgeville, Ga.. and I usually catch more spots than largemouths.. they're still fun to catch tho...