A few months ago I recall a disagreement on here about if female bass only spawn with similar sized males or not.  The general consensus seemed to be that females frequently spawn with males that were smaller in size but there were a few that did not agree.  

 

Males don't get as big as females, it's not really even plausible. Now I believe that bigger females probably choose bigger, healthier males, but a 8+lb female would never spawn if she only spawned with like sized males. 

Male bass rarely (never) grow to be over 5 lbs.

Having watched bass spawn over 70 years and big females generally spawn in deeper,4’-8’ depending on water clarity  on the 1st phase with whatever male has built a nest site. The makes are often 1/2 the size of the females.  Female  bass under 4 lbs usually spawn later and shallower water, 2’-4’ again with whatever male is available, often those bass are the same size.

Tom

PS, caught a 7 lb male bass in 1969 at San Vicente verified by a SD biologist, very rare fish.

Agreed with all of the above.  I believe it was this now locked thread that I was referencing when I posted this one 

 

In nature it’s happenstance if big bass spawn together.

Texas Share A Lunker program it’s not happenstance as they have big male bass used to fertilize 13 lb+ female LMB.

California hasn’t had pure Florida LMB stocked in over 30 years, DVL was the last I know of. Doubt if any Pure FLMB or F1’s still in Ca, the vigor gets mixed every year.

Tom

PS, the current Florida LMB Record is less then 18 lbs. The Fiebel  20.13 lb  Bass caught in 1923 was disallowed. The current Texas LMB Record is 18.18 lbs, caught 1992.

 

 

Answer is painfully obvious.  Ever seen a 12 pound male?

 

Male Bass = Chubby Chaser

All I’m saying is where I observed the most visible spawning, only the biggest males even get a bed. The smaller ones are just hanging around the area watching. They can’t be spawning out of site, because there are never small males protecting fry. May be there is very little space for spawning here, so only the biggest males are getting to spawn. In that video, they aren’t actually spawning. Just the dance doesn’t count.

The vast majority of males on beds that I've observed here were between 1 1/2 and 2 lbs. I've spotted a 3lber only a few times.

9 hours ago, PhishLI said:

The vast majority of males on beds that I've observed here were between 1 1/2 and 2 lbs. I've spotted a 3lber only a few times.

That is so crazy to me. Because at the only place around here with clear enough water to see the fish in, it’s the opposite. The spawning males start at around 3.25lbs. It has to be the lack of spawning areas. 

I'd have to say no because almost all the bass I see sitting alone on beds are under 2 lbs. This makes me wonder if older male bass even spawn or if they don't usually live far beyond the 2 lb. range.

1 hour ago, CrankFate said:

That is so crazy to me. Because at the only place around here with clear enough water to see the fish in, it’s the opposite. The spawning males start at around 3.25lbs. It has to be the lack of spawning areas. 

Since it's known that bigger bass will claim prime ambush spots, perhaps they also claim prime bedding areas, so the smaller class fish are the only ones I've been able to spot more easily while on foot or while wading. I've done a few night missions where I was able to graph out a few prime lakes and found beds out in the middle of them on shallow humps/flats There's plenty of territory I'll never get to see otherwise, so who knows what's actually what.

 

I spoke to a fisheries biologist when they were shocking Ronk, and we talked about this subject. He said the average for males on the island is typically 2 lbs, but some lakes are an exception. As he explained, the nutrient composition combined with the gene pool in some places is reflected in the size of the fish. When I mentioned one place where I've pulled multiple bigs from, he went on to tell me that they're well aware of it's propensity for producing outsized fish of all species, but are unable to isolate the precise reason why. 

39 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Since it's known that bigger bass will claim prime ambush spots, perhaps they also claim prime bedding areas, so the smaller class fish are the only ones I've been able to spot more easily while on foot or while wading. I've done a few night missions where I was able to graph out a few prime lakes and found beds out in the middle of them on shallow humps/flats There's plenty of territory I'll never get to see otherwise, so who knows what's actually what.

 

I spoke to a fisheries biologist when they were shocking Ronk, and we talked about this subject. He said the average for males on the island is typically 2 lbs, but some lakes are an exception. As he explained, the nutrient composition combined with the gene pool in some places is reflected in the size of the fish. When I mentioned one place where I've pulled multiple bigs from, he went on to tell me that they're well aware of it's propensity for producing outsized fish of all species, but are unable to isolate the precise reason why. 

Life will find a way.