Largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass each have unique habits, appearances, and habitats that will influence how you approach your fishing strategy. Let’s break down what makes these three species distinct and how you can successfully target them.
Largemouth: Micropterus salmoides
The Largemouth Bass is the most common of all bass species and boasts the largest size potential. The world record largemouth weighed an impressive 22 pounds, 5 ounces. Its name is no accident — the largemouth has a large, bucket-shaped mouth designed to gulp down a variety of prey species, including shad, shiners, bluegill, crawfish, and frogs. This diverse diet makes it one of the most widespread bass species.
You can identify a largemouth bass by its dark top, lighter sides, and a prominent stripe running along its side. Largemouth bass inhabit lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and ponds, preferring warm waters. They have a strong tendency to hang around cover, such as weeds, brush, stumps, logs, and rocks, using these structures for concealment while ambushing prey. While they usually prefer shallow water (8 feet or less), largemouth bass may also be found in deeper water, especially in large reservoirs.
Smallmouth: Micropterus dolomieu
The Smallmouth Bass is a favorite among anglers, largely due to its spirited fighting ability. Its range extends across the Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Northwest regions of the U.S. Smallmouth bass, sometimes called “bronzeback” due to its brownish coloration, uses its pointed nose to root out one of its favorite foods — crawfish — though it also feeds on small fish and insects.
Unlike the largemouth, smallmouth bass prefer cooler, deeper, and rockier waters. They are well-suited to river currents, with their sharp-cornered fins and powerful tail. While largemouth thrive in thick cover, smallmouth bass are more inclined to hide around isolated stumps, rocks, drop-offs, ledges, and other large, scattered objects.
Spotted Bass: Micropterus punctulatus
The Spotted Bass, native to the Southeast and stocked in some Western reservoirs, looks similar to a largemouth but with more distinct markings. Its shape, mouth size, habits, and fighting abilities are closer to those of a smallmouth bass. Often referred to as the Kentucky bass or simply “spot,” this species has become a favorite in certain regions.
Spotted bass are most commonly found in rocky reservoirs, rivers, and streams. Rather than staying tight to thick cover, they tend to suspend in deeper water, often around steep rock bluffs. They are known to follow schools of baitfish into open water, going deeper than either largemouth or smallmouth bass. In fact, spotted bass have been caught at depths of up to 100 feet!
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re targeting largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass, knowing the unique habits and environments of each species can enhance your fishing success. With a good understanding of how to identify and locate these fish, you’ll be well-prepared for your next bass fishing adventure.
