So last week I fished a housing canal area on a coastal NJ river. I’ve caught some fish here before but only dinks. Well with spring finally here in NJ they were getting up on Ned’s and we caught some solid 3+ pounders. 

The real question is where the heck do these fish go after the spawn? Again only sinks during the rest of the year and not many. I figured one direction is a no go, it gets salty quick that way. 

But don’t know how far up the river to look for these guys when it’s not spawn. 

Hipe I explained that well enough. 

Hmm, NJ. Kinda far from Ga but I'll try to answer. 

 

Bass in order spawn in rivers around here, resort to lakes and creeks off of the river. When they get finished spawning to go back into the river where there's current. They go back to structure, breaks, Eddy's, backs of sandbars, out if the current waiting on bait to come floating by. Most of our little bass remain in the creeks and lakes while bigger fish will be around current

 

Hope that helps

NittyGritty is dead on. But down here there is the shad spawn in-between the movement from spawning backwater out to the main river channel. Riprap banks in the early morning are good starting places to look for spawning shad.

Largemouth or Smallmouth bass?

Canals would be wind protected spawning area and nursery as indicated by spawners and juvenile bass. Large females dissapear from spawning areas in every type of lake, river, pond If the area doesn't satisfy their needs of food and sanctuary. The bigger bass could also be in the canal and your timing is off, try night fishing. 

Look for deeper water near the canal. 

Largemouth bass don't like a lot of current, more slack or eddy water fish, smallmouth prefer faster moving current with current breaks, doubt if the canal has smallmouth bass.

Tom