Largemouth & Spotted Bass Numbers in NorCal Lakes

DEPS_250 · Post by **DEPS_250** » Fri Jun 16, 2023 11:22 pm

Excluding Clear Lake, The Delta and the Thermalito Afterbay...Which NorCal mother lode lake(s) are known for having a higher largemouth bass population vs the spotted bass population?

I don't really like fishing for spotted bass since they have a small mouth and are very finesse/finicky. I would much rather fish for largemouth since they are obviously bigger and much funner to catch. Largemouth are way easier to catch with a wider range of baits and are also more willing to bite bigger baits also.

Trying to figure out which lakes I should concentrate my fishing time on the most and which ones I would much rather save for a rainy day or on an off-chance once in a blue moon.

marinerfandave · Post by **marinerfandave** » Sat Jun 17, 2023 3:58 am

I just fished New Melones on Thursday 6/15 with fishing guide John Liechty (who is excellent by the way). I asked him that question but specifically to New Melones (not Don Pedro, McClure, etc). He told me that Melones is usually at least 80% spots and typically 90%. I lost count of the # of spots I caught on Thursday but it was in the 10-15 range and I only caught 1 largemouth (about a 2-2.5 pound fish, not huge by any means). The spots fight like crazy and were really fun to catch, the largest one I caught was probably about 2 pounds.

Sam K · Post by **Sam K** » Sat Jun 17, 2023 8:09 am

was a couple of years before I'd even fish Shasta when I moved up to Redding. I had to be educated about Spots. Still prefer those big, dumb Clearlake hybrids....but I'm getting used to it up here.

Don't chase big baits?...

https://majorleaguefishing.com/archives ... lob-spots/

Get to know them (Spots). You might actually..........

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Sat Jun 17, 2023 8:58 am

For Largemouth Bass only, try Eastman or Hensley. There are no Spots in there and have some large fish !!

jiggin4bass · Post by **jiggin4bass** » Sat Jun 17, 2023 10:29 am

Mitch I second that Eastman and Hensley both are the two best lakes here in the central valley for largemouth.

monte300 · Post by **monte300** » Sat Jun 17, 2023 6:35 pm

Anyone fish Woodward anymore. I used to catch some good largemouths there back in the day.

WRB · Post by **WRB** » Sun Jun 18, 2023 8:07 am

The Northern (Kentucky) Spotted bass was 1st introduced in California when Fraint Dam (lake Millerton) was constructed in 1939. The Northern Spot doesn’t grow much over 3 lbs, average around 15” and aggressive small bass, easy to catch.
The Southern (Alabama) Spotted bass introduced in the 60’s into lake Perris, SoCal and like Florida LMB grew to Record size around 9 lbs in Perris.
The Northern Spotted is the species around the longest time and populates several central and NorCal lakes. The Southern Spotted bass, like FLMB, were introduced later and now populate several Hwy 49 Foothill lakes, most notable Bullards Bar setting a new World Record now at 11.4 lbs.
So when you say Spotted Bass it’s difficult to determine which species, but smaller Spots are more then likely Northern not the larger Southern and I don’t think bass anglers want to avoid catching big Northern Spots.
Tom

gixxer464 · Post by **gixxer464** » Sun Jun 18, 2023 7:23 pm

Hey Tom, does Lake Perris still have spots in there? If not, what happened? This is all new information to me. Appreciate your insight. Thanks.

Water_Dog · Post by **Water_Dog** » Mon Jun 19, 2023 7:22 am

I know it's not a motherlode lake, but Berryessa seems to produce a good variety of all 3 subspecies. Oroville's LM population seems to be making a small comeback as well.

WRB · Post by **WRB** » Mon Jun 19, 2023 7:47 am

gixxer464 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 18, 2023 7:23 pm Hey Tom, does Lake Perris still have spots in there? If not, what happened? This is all new information to me. Appreciate your insight. Thanks.

Very few, occasionally a Spot shows up at Perris after a small planting in 2010.
The cause of the decline was blamed on the introduction of a Florida strain of Bluegill that aggressively fed in Spotted Bass fry and eggs.
Tom

Kwin · Post by **Kwin** » Tue Jun 27, 2023 1:42 pm

[quote=WRB post_id=679286 time=1687189627 user_id=35944]
[quote=gixxer464 post_id=679277 time=1687144995 user_id=19609]
Hey Tom, does Lake Perris still have spots in there? If not, what happened? This is all new information to me. Appreciate your insight. Thanks.
[/quote]
Very few, occasionally a Spot shows up at Perris after a small planting in 2010.
The cause of the decline was blamed on the introduction of a Florida strain of Bluegill that aggressively fed in Spotted Bass fry and eggs.
Tom
[/quote]

I manage Lk Perris and have participated in collecting or collected over 25000 bass during electrofishing surveys since 2003 and have never seen a bass that resembled anything other than a largemouth bass. The last 3 spotted bass were collected in August 1992 when Bottroff still worked for CDFW. They have been extirpated longer than they were ever there.

WRB · Post by **WRB** » Tue Jun 27, 2023 1:57 pm

Thank you for the correct update. Didn’t know that Larry was evolved with Perris.
Can you explain what the Spotted Bass demise was?
Tom

scott39 · Post by **scott39** » Tue Jun 27, 2023 2:49 pm

DEPS_250 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 11:22 pm Excluding Clear Lake, The Delta and the Thermalito Afterbay...Which NorCal mother lode lake(s) are known for having a higher largemouth bass population vs the spotted bass population?

I don't really like fishing for spotted bass since they have a small mouth and are very finesse/finicky. I would much rather fish for largemouth since they are obviously bigger and much funner to catch. Largemouth are way easier to catch with a wider range of baits and are also more willing to bite bigger baits also.

Trying to figure out which lakes I should concentrate my fishing time on the most and which ones I would much rather save for a rainy day or on an off-chance once in a blue moon.

In my experience in the Motherlode. Spots are way more aggressive than LM and most times much more fun and easier to catch. Plus they are delicious. I do not find them finesse finicky. 10 months out of the year the majority of spots I catch are on reaction. That all being said, on tournament day I want the LM.

gixxer464 · Post by **gixxer464** » Tue Jun 27, 2023 4:12 pm

Kwin wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 1:42 pm
WRB wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2023 7:47 am
gixxer464 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 18, 2023 7:23 pm Hey Tom, does Lake Perris still have spots in there? If not, what happened? This is all new information to me. Appreciate your insight. Thanks.
Very few, occasionally a Spot shows up at Perris after a small planting in 2010.
The cause of the decline was blamed on the introduction of a Florida strain of Bluegill that aggressively fed in Spotted Bass fry and eggs.
Tom
I manage Lk Perris and have participated in collecting or collected over 25000 bass during electrofishing surveys since 2003 and have never seen a bass that resembled anything other than a largemouth bass. The last 3 spotted bass were collected in August 1992 when Bottroff still worked for CDFW. They have been extirpated longer than they were ever there.

Any plans on reintroducing spotted bass into Lake Perris?

Kwin · Post by **Kwin** » Tue Jun 27, 2023 5:13 pm

My guess is the Florida BG angle WRB alluded to is the biggest contributor to their demise.... I've read a paper I have around somewhere that says the same thing. The severe lack of offshore habitat and relatively stable water levels at Lk Perris 1.0 probably didn't help either. It's the only example I know of where LMB have taken over where they both existed.

There are no plans to reintroduce Alabama Bass at Perris or anywhere in SoCal.

WRB · Post by **WRB** » Tue Jun 27, 2023 9:37 pm

Thank you

Tom

Pat · Post by **Pat** » Tue Jul 04, 2023 12:45 pm

In the Motherlode, Amador was at one time, the place for trophy largemouth. Comanche is another choice. If you are willing to travel North, Trinity has great largemouth, with a smallmouth bonus too.