The spotted bass (lat. Micropterus punctulatus), a freshwater fish that is closely related to the largemouth and smallmouth bass. Common in the Mississippi River basin and the coastal states of the Gulf of Mexico. Its range extends to the western mid-Atlantic states, and it can also be found in the waters of western North Carolina and Virginia. The spotted bass has an elongated body. Its upper part is greenish with darker specks. The lower part of the sides and belly are whitish with dark spots. A dark lateral line runs along the sides of the spotted bass. The average weight of an adult bass is 0.5-3 kg. The maximum is 5 kg.