They have been collected from the mainstem and all tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay and have one of the most extensive distributions of any marine-estuarine fish species in the Bay. They are tolerant of a wide range of temperatures and have been collected in waters from 34-98 degrees. Life Cycle Adult spot migrate into estuarine areas in the spring but are not as widely distributed as juvenile spot. They are generally found in the Chesapeake Bay from April through October. Ages 0 to 2 dominate the catch from populations along the Atlantic coast.
Spot reach sexual maturity at ages two and three.
Minimum size at maturity ranges from 186 to 214 millimeters. When the water temperature starts to decrease in the fall, adult spot move offshore to spawn. The spawning season extends from late fall to early spring. Spawning occurs over a broad area, and data indicate that they use deeper areas further offshore than other sciaenids. Fertilization is external, occurring at night in surface waters.