I fished a shallow grassy pond in WV yesterday, with mid/low 60 water temps and warm weather last few days. 

Caught a lot of male bass, some squirting and a couple with slightly abraised tails.  Caught 1 off a bed for sure and many others I suspected on beds.  A shoreangler caught 1 off bed that I had seen and reported seeing other single male.bass on beds.

 

I saw a ton of beds.  Many empty beds (some from.me spooking probably).  I saw no fry (well maybe i saw a couple fry b but no balls of fry but couldnt determine species...maybe yellow perxh spawn before bass?)  Also saw bluegill preparing beds.

 

What could explain the abandoned beds? 

I’ve seen what looks like a bed actually be from ducks or geese feeding. 

Are Water Levels High in your area ? If so, could the spawn have already occurred with that wave of fish and the Fry moved into flooded brush and reeds ? This has happened before in my area of the country, especially on heavily flooded waters with very thick weeds and reeds around the shore line. It can sometimes give the impression the spawn hasn't occurred, when it actually did. Or maybe those aren't Bass beds ?

Water is actually low.  There are a lot of geese in area but other beds are quite circular but perhaps too small for bass

Fishing in WV is so screwed up right now...... 

Bluegill beds are plate size and close together, if you see these the bass are nearly done spawning as they usually don't over lap.

Tom

I understand bluegill spawning habits.  These werent bluegill beds but were small for bass beds.  I found a couple instances of bluegill starting nesting colonies....or at least sticking close to their old colonies.

 

Maybe they were from geese feeding.  The males i caught did not show any signs of spawning except 2 had a tiny sore on tail fin.

Small males often make smaller 12" beds initially, sometimes all you see is depression.

Tom

 

14 hours ago, WRB said:

Small males often make smaller 12" beds initially, sometimes all you see is depression.

Tom

 

 

Nest size has more to do with bottom composition than bass size.

Edited May 5, 20188 yr by Catt
Operator error

I'm not sure how things have been in WV, but in Michigan we are already starting to see the bigger female bass in the shallows gorging and owning the reed line up in the creeks. The first phase of spawners are probably about a week or two away from bedding in some creeks leading into Lake Erie. I would (just guessing) think that in WV, the weather is at least 5 or 10 degrees warmer? and the spawn would be over in some places by now. But again this is just based on geography and the fact, that every state south of Michigan should be warmer and therefore will spawn before us, I think ? So Im still willing to bet some of those fish in WV have spawned and that's why there are empty beds 

Spawning in tennesse now.  Last week i caught 2 big females in the entrance to a feeder creek just off entrance to river.  They were in classic prespawn pattern following a ditch.  I think spawn is just starting this weekend full swing.  Havent caught any skinny bass.

Spawning in tennesse now.  Last week i caught 2 big females in the entrance to a feeder creek just off entrance to river.  They were in classic prespawn pattern following a ditch.  I think spawn is just starting this weekend full swing.  Havent caught any skinny bass.

Spawning in tennesse now.  Last week i caught 2 big females in the entrance to a feeder creek just off entrance to river.  They were in classic prespawn pattern following a ditch.  I think spawn is just starting this weekend full swing.  Havent caught any skinny bass.

Went out yesterday (in WV) to a long feeder of a river (different from other feeder mentioned previously) after work and saw no beds.  Granted it was a little rainy and dark but I can usually spot them well.  Temps in the creek probably lower than in the pond but still...should be seeing more beds.  Going out Monday to a new small pond to scout...maybe the females will be on beds there....