Spot
Spot have 12-15 dark, angled bars across the back. (Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
Spot are small, feisty fish with a distinctive large, black spot near the gill opening. They are common from spring through autumn in the shallow waters of the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay.
Appearance:
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Bluish-gray body
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A distinctive large, black spot near the gill opening
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12-15 dark, angled bars across the back
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Brassy white belly
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Pale fins
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Deep notch in the dorsal fin
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High, rounded back that slopes down to a small head
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No teeth in the lower jaw
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Forked tail fin
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Grows 11-12 inches long
Habitat:
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Found in the Chesapeake Bay’s shallow waters, often near pilings and jetties
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Schools just below the water’s surface
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Has been collected from all depths and bottom types
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Juveniles often move into freshwater rivers
Range:
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Visits the Chesapeake Bay from April-May through late autumn
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Found throughout the Bay
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Leaves the Bay in autumn for southern coastal waters
Feeding:
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Bottom-feeder
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Preys upon bristle worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and plant and animal detritus
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Juveniles eat tiny crustaceans
Predators:
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Larger fish such as bluefish, weakfish and striped bass
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Sharks such as smooth dogfish, sandbar sharks and sand tiger sharks
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
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Spawns over the continental shelf from late September-March
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After spawning, adults may stay offshore
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Tiny larvae enter the Bay and move to freshwater shallows and tidal creeks, where they stay and grow throughout the summer
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Most young leave the Bay by December
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Matures at 2-3 years old
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Can live for five years but rarely lives longer than three years
Other Facts:
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Also called Norfolk spot
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One of the most abundant fish in the Chesapeake Bay
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Popular with recreational anglers
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A member of the drum family, which includes weakfish, red drum, black drum, spotted seatrout and Atlantic croaker. All drums are able to make a loud drumming or croaking sound by vibrating their swim bladder using special muscles.
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The Chesapeake Bay record spot, caught in 1980 off Poquoson, Virginia, weighed 2.5 pounds
Sources and Additional Information:
