By Tyler Rose
Over the past several years, bass anglers on Lake Hickory have noticed an increasing presence of spotted bass throughout the lake. Spotted bass are often more common than largemouth in Lake Norman, and while it too is a reservoir of the Catawba River, Norman is downstream in relation to Lake Hickory. This rules out the possibility of spotted bass washing into the lake, bringing us to the conclusion that somebody must have introduced the spotted bass to Lake Hickory.
The vague origins of Lake Hickory’s spots raises several questions regarding the future of the fishery and the impact of man upon an ecosystem. When spotted bass were introduced to Lake Norman from South Carolina river systems in the 1990’s, it did not take long for the fishery to undergo a drastic change. While the abundance of spots on Lake Norman make it relatively easy to fish, finding fish of quality can be a different task entirely. Personally, I have a love hate relationship with Lake Norman. Some of the most exciting days of bass fishing I can recall involve feeding angry three pound and up spotted bass (and largemouths) a spinnerbait or jig. Some of my most frustrating days on the water are a direct result of Lake Norman’s plethora of skinny, thirteen inch fish that do not provide much help on tournament day.
My complicated relationship status with Lake Norman resulted in some concern when I first started catching spotted bass in Lake Hickory around 2012. So far I have been pleasantly surprised, as most of the spots I have seen in Lake Hickory have been quality two pound and above fish. In more recent years I have caught young twelve inch and under spots that prove there is a breeding population in the lake, but even these short fish are thick and healthy in relation to their Lake Norman counterparts. Deep brush piles and rocky banks provide the best opportunity to run into a Lake Hickory spotted bass, but do not be surprised when one crushes your topwater bait at your favorite main lake point.
It seems as if Lake Hickory has all the makings of a healthy spotted bass fishery, with some anglers seeing the four and five pound spots as a sign that Hickory has the potential to grow a state record fish. Transporting fish between bodies of water is not advised and in many cases illegal due to the potential spread of parasites and diseases. Despite these risks, somebody envisioned a Lake Hickory with a healthy spotted bass fishery, and so far they have gotten what they wanted. I for one intend on fishing Lake Hickory extensively in the coming years to see the effect that the spotted bass has on my home lake.
