Lived in Georgia for ten years. Caught many giant spotted bass or like they like to call them "magnum spots". Especially on lakes Lanier and Carter. Is that a different species of spotted bass that we have here in Texas and Oklahoma. If so, why don't we stock them here? Seems like they would do well in several of our lakes. Especially in lakes like Broken Bow and Texoma. You just don't see giant spots in the 4 to 7 pound class like you do in several fisheries in the southeast. Just wonder why?

Good question. We get real excited around here over a 3-4 lb spot.

Lake alan henry was stocked with spots and they have overrun the lake due to poor management. This lake used to spit a few SALS every year and since they were stocked they have overpopulated themselves and they have eaten al the bait fish. I've had quite a few folks tell me there are no bream left in the lake. There has been the occasional 3-4 spot caught. Due this i think TPWD is probably not wanting to do this to any other lakes. The spotted bass have ruined alan henry.

I would like to know if the spots in Alan Henry are a different species of spots from the southeast. I bet they are but this may be a fisheries question. On Broken Bow they have no length limit and no bag limit on spots. Not sure if this has helped the largemouth but I bet it couldn't hurt. Maybe someone from the area could respond.

No length or bag limit is for all OK. OK has decided to try and eliminate or greatly reduce spotted bass. The program will fail.

These fish are very aggressive and out compete everything other than green sunfish in creeks and can really overpopulate in a lake. I remember when Mulberry Arkansas dammed up Rock Creek to make Tobe House lake. The lake was closed to fishing as it was a small reservoir and the lake became overflowing with 12" spotted bass. As a teenager, I used to sneak in and catch rope stringers full of small spotted bass there from the bank. They are a lot of fun to catch on untralight tackle.

Ray Roberts has some gooduns

I have caught a few out of Bob Sandlin........

is there a separate species for spots? I know in Calif, we used to call them Alabama spotted bass, down here they call them Kentucky spotted bass. Is there a difference cause ours in Calif grow REAL BIG.

That's what I'm asking. They are huge in Alabama, Georgia, California. Not so much in Texas and Oklahoma. I'm betting its a different fish. If so, why not stock them here? Besides, is everything bigger in Texas except spots?

They probably don't stock them because they out compete largemouth and smallmouth for resources. They would also cross with guad bass which the state has been trying to keep pure.

Amon carter and Lost creek lake both have a small population of spots. The spots are small, a one pounder being huge. Amon carter is fine, as it popped out a sharelunker earlier this year and people catch 8-10 pound bass there all the time. Lost creek is different, the new lake where to spots are at is full of dink largies.

Cypress Springs is full of the little runts! They are a nuisance and I try to avoid them in tournaments. They are fun to catch with the family, though.

I would imagine that most all spots in TX are the ol standard Kentucky spotted bass. In my reading I have found there are two different species and the ones that get really big are the Alabama spots or Coosa spots.

Those giant Coosa spots in Northern California love to mash on all the Kokanee in places like New Melones and Bullards Bar and that's why they get massive (6 to 10 pounds).

A lot of the big spots in Cali are the Alabama strain from Lewis Smith lake.

Good question and nice observation...
Anyhow, are spotted bass the ones that have spots at the bottom running horizontally across the fish?

If so my cousin caught a 10 pounder at falcon, don't knos if those are rare down here...