Spotted Bass

I live in Alabama near the Coosa River and have access to spots from 8" up to almost 5 lbs. I know they need cleaner water than LMB's need but I'm curious to hear anyone's experience with them.

Justin

Care requirements in aquaria same as largemouth bass. Pellet train very easy. Keep tank covered and avoid complete lights out at night as rapid change in lighting levels induces panic / jumping.

Centrachid...I was told that you are a good resource for bass...I'm trying to find out good information on breeding spots and/or hybridizing them with smallies as I just found that they are able to do and have striking coloration/markings. I know they prefer a coarse substrate in about 10-12ft depth but my knowledge stops there...for example, temps that trigger spawning, current, etc? Thanks for any info.

Justin

Centrachid...I was told that you are a good resource for bass...I'm trying to find out good information on breeding spots and/or hybridizing them with smallies as I just found that they are able to do and have striking coloration/markings. I know they prefer a coarse substrate in about 10-12ft depth but my knowledge stops there...for example, temps that trigger spawning, current, etc? Thanks for any info.

Justin

Justin,

To maximize odds of success, keep it simple. I doubt you have the resources to manipulate temparature and photoperiod on a scale suitable for breeding black basses. I recommend breeding outdoors and relying on seasonal temperature and lighting regime.


Culture volume: I used tenth acre ponds that averaged 2.5 feet in depth. Larger goldfish/koi ponds only 2 feet deep should also work. Each breeding male requires at least 100 ft^2 that he can exclude other fishes from, especially other male bass and juveniles. Other species such as minnows, darters and sunfishes can chronically approach closer without causing male to abort breeding effort.

Brood fish: I stock as pairs with females between equal and half again as large as males. Quality very important. Breeders need to be in good condition and of high social rank the fall before breeding. Key physiological changes related to breeding occur nearly eight months before breeding season. I like to use males 10" to 14" and females 10" to 16". They can breed smaller (sometimes only 6") but not consistently.

Timing: Stock fall or spring before breeding to occur. In ponds, the breeding season for bass tends to be earlier and shorter than in streams and larger lakes in same area. In central Alabama, I would suspect a breeding season of middle March. Stock a good month before breeding season unless you can house sexes separately or keep them cool (<60 F). If really small pond to be used, then keep overwintering fish in larger pond to prevent cold stress during winter months.

If you think you can do this, then will describe how to prepare nest sites and promote plankton bloom.

In your opinion, what would be a minimum pond size recommended for such a feat?
Also, do you know if there are any smallmouth and Alabama spots cohabitating naturally? I know the hybrids are mostly in Texas and the lower Midwest so it would be safe to assume, if in fact the AL spots do not occur naturally with smallies, that the newly classified M. henshali (spelling?) has not yet been reported to hybridize with the bronzebacks thus making the hybrids brand new. So, I am very interested in finding out more info. Thank you for your quick reply this far.

Justin

[quote name='Snookman' date='16 August 2009 - 11:15 PM' timestamp='1250460922' post='63954']
In your opinion, what would be a minimum pond size recommended for such a feat?
[/quote]

Pond 15' x 15' x 2.5' deep. Need a log or something similar to enable female to hide from male and make latter feel hidden when on nest.


[/quote]
Also, do you know if there are any smallmouth and Alabama spots cohabitating naturally? I know the hybrids are mostly in Texas and the lower Midwest so it would be safe to assume, if in fact the AL spots do not occur naturally with smallies, that the newly classified M. henshali (spelling?) has not yet been reported to hybridize with the bronzebacks thus making the hybrids brand new. So, I am very interested in finding out more info. Thank you for your quick reply this far.
[/quote]

I am not up on Alabama / Texas situations in regards to sympatric populations of smallmouth and spotted basses. In Missouri, several populations of smallmouth bass are in the process of being reduced and / or replaced by putatively introduced spotted bass populations. Some of the replacement process does involve hybridization but I have not seen any studies indicating smallmouth genes are retained by the invasive spotted bass that remain after smallmouth are gone. The hybrids, though are obvious when present. Smallmouth bass and spotted bass do co-occur in a couple southern Illinois and a good number of extreme southern Missouri streams. Both persist when streams have a good mix of rocky susbstrate and emergent vegetation (i.e. water willows). Smallmouth drop out when vegetation low. Stable sympatric populations of the two species may also have different histories / genetic backgrounds than those where one is being displaced.

The hybrids in Tx are mostly in the Hill Country, and are with Guadalupe Bass. Smallmouths were introduced here as a sportfish, but ended up hybridizing with/displacing most populations of Guadalupes. There are only a few "pure" populations left due to this. It's a real shame.

Any help with sexual dimorphism In black basses other than size would be appreciated.
Thanks,

Justin

Any help with sexual dimorphism In black basses other than size would be appreciated.
Thanks,

Justin

Black bass sexual dimorphism minimal relative to other sunfishes.

Many males can be stripped manualy for sperm starting mid to late fall. By early spring both sexes can be stripped for gametes so a later stocking better if small number of brood fish to be used. Some hatchery folks can sex bass by inserting small sticks into the urogenital opening and looking at the angle it most easily intrudes. This method with a degree of accuracy and can damage fish if you are not carefull. Courting male spotted and largemouth have bellies and pelvic fins that to my eyes appear pearlescent.

I'd like to try to catch a juvenile AL spot since I've not kept any Micropterus sp. so I can learn a little about their temperament. Can you tell me first how to distinguish them under 4" from LMB and clue me in to the type of habitat to find them in, best time of year to find them, and best method of collecting. The area I'll be in gets deep very quickly making seining out of the question. I do have a "pinfish trap" large enough to collect them but don't know what kind of bait would entice them in...maybe live minows?...cut bait (Shad)?...or should I try to use a dipnet in near shore structure? Sorry about all the questions but you've proven to be a great resource.

Thanks again.
Justin

One other thing...the last time I was there I saw a ton of juvie bass arround 3-4" that I'm pretty sure were LMB and I saw a bunch that were a lot smaller, say arround 1-2". Would this size difference be a clue or could it just be early and late spawns of the same species?

Justin

YOY spotted bass live in large schools (unlike LMB), and they really are spotted. I've seen these schools in medium sized creeks over rocks in flowing pools, in Coon Creek in Jackson County, AL (beautiful place if you can bushwhack in, it's public property but not easily accessible) and tributaries to the Tallapoosa in Randolph and Tallapoosa counties, AL. If you find one you've found a bunch.

I'd like to try to catch a juvenile AL spot since I've not kept any Micropterus sp. so I can learn a little about their temperament. Can you tell me first how to distinguish them under 4" from LMB and clue me in to the type of habitat to find them in, best time of year to find them, and best method of collecting. The area I'll be in gets deep very quickly making seining out of the question. I do have a "pinfish trap" large enough to collect them but don't know what kind of bait would entice them in...maybe live minows?...cut bait (Shad)?...or should I try to use a dipnet in near shore structure? Sorry about all the questions but you've proven to be a great resource.

Thanks again.
Justin

Snookman,

First check for restrictions (minimum size limits / methods of capture) on black basses in public waters of Alabama. If take of small fish legal, then invest a little time to find a location where spotted bass are abundant. My preferred recon method is to snorkel. This time of year, spotted bass shoals are going to be made up of fewer and fewer individuals that my avoid you. My trick is to snorkel through and area and do a "crazy Ivan". You are likely to find them following you.


Distinguishing the two species for me is easy since I look at both so often. Spotted are more elongate with a gray back. Largemouth appear deeper bodied with a greenish back (sometimes called green bass). Spotted upto about 3" will have a more intensly tricolored tail. Both can adopt spotted band along the lateral line but spotted more consistent. Spotted bass fingerlings can also have parr marks when being agonistic, largemouths can not. At small sizes, mouth size not reliable.

Traps, you will have to explore on your own. I have kept LMB and spotted bass fingerlings together in ponds and used traps to catch redspotted sunfish out of same ponds without catching a single bass of either species. On moonless nights I could also catch spotted bass.

There are only creel limits...size limits are specific to certain bodies of water...none of which are rivers. I will be searching in the Coosa River below Lake Jordan.

Justin

There are only creel limits...size limits are specific to certain bodies of water...none of which are rivers. I will be searching in the Coosa River below Lake Jordan.

Justin

What about methods of capture? A seine, evev in deep water, will be more effective than angling on smaller bass.

What about using a sabiki rig?

Justin

Justin,

I have no experience with such a device. Give it a try and tell me if it works.

Jim

Justin,

I have no experience with such a device. Give it a try and tell me if it works.

Jim

Jim a sabiki rig is a fishing rig with a series of small feathered hooks tied in tandom used to catch small baitfish, it is most commonly used in saltwater applications to abtain sardines, ballyhoo, bluerunners, pinfish or other small fish that school in large groups..