Hey guys - hoping you can help me figure a few things out... I have a 50 acre lake near me that is very shallow in many areas, and it's also currently very muddy with poor visibility - will bass still spawn up shallow in water like this? Will they spawn near the rip rap or elsewhere, depending on the bottom composition at the base of the rip rap? I have seen little bluegill flipping and flopping up super shallow, along with crayfish bodies washed up here...

 

I have read that muddy water warms faster due to the suspended particles, which could mean the bass spawn sooner here IF the spawn is dependent on water temps and not other factors.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks much!

They'll spawn shallow and next to cover. Make multiple cast next to targets and if you miss a bite, make several cast back because it might have been a next guarding fish.

10 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

They'll spawn shallow and next to cover. Make multiple cast next to targets and if you miss a bite, make several cast back because it might have been a next guarding fish.

Thanks! When you say shallow... let's say I have a shallow hump out in the middle of the body of water - will they spawn there too or do they always relate to shore in some way? I'm wondering if they could be in little pods scattered throughout this entire shallow lake - what do you think?

2 hours ago, AJH said:

Thanks! When you say shallow... let's say I have a shallow hump out in the middle of the body of water - will they spawn there too or do they always relate to shore in some way? I'm wondering if they could be in little pods scattered throughout this entire shallow lake - what do you think?

Absolutely, it doesn't have to be near the shoreline for bass to spawn on it, just shallow enough for their eggs to get enough sunlight and heat.

6 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Absolutely, it doesn't have to be near the shoreline for bass to spawn on it, just shallow enough for their eggs to get enough sunlight and heat.

DANG IT! Now I have the search the entire lake!! Lol... oh well, it will be a good exercise, and it's a small lake. Hey on another note @Bluebasser86 could you please PM me if anything is still wrong with my sig or name? Thanks man, and thanks again for the info it has been really helpful!