Hey all...

I was shore fishing today and walked along a beach area. I saw a nice size bass about 10 ft. from shore. A small school of baby perch came by and this bass went after them like a shot!! Then it came back to where it had been setting. I watched for a while but the first catch I took, I spooked it. If the water wasn't still so cold, I would swear this fish was guarding a bed. Too early.....right???

ajr :-?

I have seen and caught males on beds in the Mississippi River in March more than once.  That is with water temp 41 degrees.  The females are not ready at that time, but the males, especially the young bucks are going through the motions.  Otherwise, it could be that something, a rock, stick, etc. was holding the fish there.  Did you see a bed?  If you could see the fish, you should have been able to see the bed.

I saw an area, not a defined bed by bed standards, but like you said, he could have been getting an area ready, going through the motions.

Could you tell (by how far he chased them) whether he went after the perch to eat them, or to get them away from the "pre-bed"?