Many people believe that largemouth bass are better than spotted bass, but that’s not always the case. There are many factors to consider when choosing which type of bass is the right choice. Some of these include water temperatures, predators, dorsal fins, and spawning season.
Dorsal fins
Many people find it difficult to tell the difference between spotted bass and largemouth bass. While a lot of similarities can be found between the two, some key differences are worth noting.
The largest difference between spotted bass and largemouth bass is in size. Largemouth bass typically weigh more than their spotted counterparts. Both species have dorsal fins. Unlike spotted bass, the dorsal fins of largemouth bass are usually not deeply notched.
Largemouth bass have two dorsal fins that are separated by a notch. This gives the fish the appearance of having two dorsal fins. In actuality, the dorsal fins are connected by a membrane.
Spotted bass have dorsal fins that are slightly curved and are more rounded than those of the largemouth bass. They also have a more rectangular shape and a smoother tongue.
Spawning season
The spawning season for both largemouth bass and spotted bass differs depending on the lake. Largemouths tend to spawn earlier than spots. However, if you have a reservoir that has both species spawning, you should be aware of both spawning times.
Typically, spotted bass spawn at water temperatures of 60-65 degrees. They may also spawn later than LMB. During the spawning season, you can catch spotted bass with a variety of baits.
Spotted bass prefer shallower waters. They often school together. You can find them around structure such as rocks, stumps, and old weed patches.
When spotted bass are spawning, they will build a saucer-shaped nest on soft gravel. Typically, the female will lay between 1,150 and 47,000 eggs. During incubation, the male will guard the eggs. After hatching, the young bass will grow to seven inches and reach maturity.
Water temperatures
Largemouth bass are a solitary species that inhabit deep water and shallow areas throughout the year. They have a life span of about sixteen years. Although spotted bass are not known for a long lifespan, they can remain active for several years.
Largemouth bass are opportunistic feeders and tend to seek out anything that looks like food. During the fall, they will be especially aggressive and spend a lot of time in shallow waters.
Spotted Bass are a little more selective when it comes to feeding. Their spots are not very noticeable but they do tend to have lines of dark spots on the lower half of their bodies.
Like largemouth, spotted bass prefer shallower waters. In addition to shallows, spotted bass will also spawn in open water.
Survival in a pond
Survival in a pond for largemouth vs spotted bass depends on many factors. Among them are habitat, food, density, and water temperature. The most important thing to remember is that a pond should have an alkalinity level of at least 50 parts per million. This will help prevent fish death. It is also important to control aquatic vegetation so that plants consume dissolved oxygen at night.
There was a trend for survival of northern largemouth bass to decrease. However, the results were not statistically significant. Some differences were likely due to the fact that different ponds were sampled on different dates, which may have contributed to some differences.
Food consumption of both species was comparable. However, the spotted bass had poorer growth than the largemouth bass.
Fishing for tournament success
When fishing largemouth vs spotted bass, there are several differences to consider. These two species share the same waters but their behavior and preferences can vary greatly. Knowing these differences can help you find more success on the water.
Largemouth bass are a top predator. They tend to hold deeper and sit in cooler water than spotted bass.
Spotted bass on the other hand are small. While they’re not usually big enough to make a big splash, they do get in on the action. In the spring, they’re known to spawn, and you’ll want to plan accordingly.
The most obvious difference is that spotted bass will be smaller than largemouth. However, that does not mean they aren’t worth the effort.
Another important difference is that spotted bass can be found in a variety of different types of lakes. In fact, they can be found in most freshwater locations.