The artificially created fish are stocked into selected rivers and lake in north and central Florida. Coming from parents that don't have a high tolerance for warm water, these fish don't adapt well to south Florida. A limited number of them are in Commission managed fish impoundments in Palm Beach and Manatee Counties. The Escambia, Apalachicola and Ochlockonee rivers and Lakes Talquin and Seminole are regularly stocked with sunshine and are good places to fish. February and March and September and October are the best months to fish for this species.
Anglers use the live shad and the same artificial lures to fish for the striped and sunshine bass.
Northwest Florida is also home to three lesser know bass. Inhabiting only the upper part of the Ochlockonee River and the Suwannee River is the Suwannee bass. This is the smallest species with fish averaging one to one and a half pounds. If you are looking for small mouth bass in Florida, the closest you will get is the spotted bass. This fish looks similar to a small mouth but is not the real thing.