What water temp do bass start spawning

[Paul Roberts]

Catt,

I see. These are pre-spawn temperatures. Thanks for clarifying. And thanks for the reference to Bowling. I'll look him up.

Interesting observation. You say "all over the pond". Would you say this was the majority of bass? Was this a cold spell? Just curious.

bassguy09, I'll respond separately. The moon's effect on the spawn has been of particular interest to me. I was once a firm believer. Now I'm a bit shakier on it.

[Paul Roberts]

The moon and the spawn:

I too have been keenly interested in the moon's influence, because of what I've read and from a mere handful of personal observations enough to get me serious about looking into it.

Here's my understanding so far:

Temperature is critical in fish spawning, in general. The scientific literature says that bass eggs suffer high mortality at 55F. Now I'm assuming this is the "hatchery northern largemouth" (stocked all over), and thus this number may not apply to surviving native strains in pockets throughout the country, or for the Florida subspecies. Thus temps need to be above that if a female is to be successful.

Further, bass are known to initiate spawning when water temperatures stabilize above 60F. Stabilization is noticeable if you bother to keep a running tab. It happens when the days get long enough to defeat the nights cooling and water (which returns heat slowly) reaches a certain level of heat that the night now cannot steal away.

The vast majority of the moon information comes from anglers, along with some angler catch statistics compiled by researchers. These "studies" have shown trends toward moon activity, but in general it's far from definitive. Catch data in my view says more about fishing than the bass' behavior there are just too many variables. Statistically these retrospective reviews are very weak, at best, and considering the sampling method (fishing), I do not feel they offer very much. As for angler theory, there are well known anglers out there espousing very different theories: Full, New, Half, three-quarter to full, full to quarter, and others. If all were correct, then there just isn't a time not to kill em, or angler moon theory is bunk. But maybe some are correct, or offer something.

What I've seen personally in the past was what I thought was full moon influence on females, both at time of egg laying (initially temp influenced they don't spawn on a too early moon), but also prior. But these observations although intense, are really few in number. So I decided to really check it out a couple years ago and started observing the spawn not just fishing it. I chose small waters in which I could see the fish, and recorded what I could given the time I had truly insufficient. I tried to initiate some help from other local on-line anglers but that didn't pan out too well too much time required and no training in what to look for and where to apply one's time. Heck, most people want to fish in their free time, not diligently record behavior and just as important, the lack thereof.

You can visit my attempts in the Colorado Reports page on another site, it's called The Moon and Spawn Journal. It's long and full of observations, and the final result for the first year was not definitive. But I was able to exclude the full moon for egg laying. Nest building in males coincided with the new moon but it also came immediately after a warming trend which probably better explains it especially since egg laying also came on the heels of the next intense warming trend, which fell right in between the new and full thus excluding both.

I haven't written off the moon. I recognize the limitations of my efforts and understanding. As you can see this is complicated and it'll take some time (years) before I can satisfy myself one way or the other. Now if I had a stable of grad students at my beckon call, this could be covered much more effectively -it might only take three years to better refine the questions. Yes, science is painstakingly slow whereas opinion is often instantaneous (LOL).

As it is I'll be looking again this spring, but not likely recording everything on-line.

[Catt]

Water temperature is the No. 1 consideration throughout the spawning season because it's the only finite thing anglers can wrap their puny little brains around. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here, temperature has a lot to do with the spawn but it is not the only guiding light. Gestation period, water temperature, water depth, water clarity and moon phase all have to be factored in.

I don't know about Colorado but on Toledo Bend and other southern lakes pre-spawn/spawn coincide perfectly with the full moon; the only exception would be a major cold front which would push the spawn back until the next full moon.

He's another like link for you to read

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1196339007/0

[Paul Roberts]

Yeah, it is complicated.

I was pretty sold on the moon, until I started really paying attention, and found that the bass missed some moons, or spawned despite an "off phase". So, I started to wonder.

I've been doing my observations in small waters, in two groups -shallow and deep. Maybe on my small waters the bass are more confined by conditions and miss the moon because of this?

In my deeper waters, the beginning of egg dropping did coincide with the full moon, but then again the temps had not reached what I've read is appropriate until then.

I'll be watching again this year.

Thanks for the links.

Interesting stuff.

[Paul Roberts]

Catt, I read through that thread. Great stuff. A lot of variables being batted around though.

One guy, Bighead, had a post that I think agrees with what I've seen:

"I agree with most of what you guys are saying.  I'm usually fishing rattletraps for prespawn fish by early Feb. even though some fish can still be caught on jigging spoons deep.  However, I'm not sure about water temp not being the major driver of the start of the spawn.  I've been one of those guys that hits Fork and other area lakes hard waiting for the first fish to move up.  I've done this every year since 1988.  What I've seen time and time again is that the first fish will be on the beds after a warming trend of at lease a few weeks.  Sometimes this is in Feb., March, or April depending on how cold the winter was.  The very first males appear near 58 degrees in the upper ends of the lake.  Then a front will blow in and cool the water temps 5 degrees or so and the fish move back out to water a few feet deeper.  When the temps rise again the fish move back onto the beds.   As some fish finish their spawn others are starting, usually a little farther south on the lake where the water is becoming warmer.  There are exceptions to this, some lower lake creeks spawn early maybe due to warmer run off or ?   The local power plant (hot water) lakes spawn around the end of Dec. into Jan.  I don't see this related to hours of daylight or moon phase as some suggest.  Also, we sometimes have a secondary spawn in the fall.  It's never anywhere near as large as the spring run but it usually happens when water temps have again returned to the 60's whether that be in Oct. or Nov.  This is JMHO, thanks for an interesting thread.  -big"

Again, I'm defining "the spawn" as females dropping eggs. Males may be prompted to dig nests on warm spells, even well early, but they may abandon them. I think a lot of anglers will see this and say, "Oh, they're spawning!" But, it takes two to tango.

[Catt]

You apparently missed part

We act like we know that the males precede the females to the spawning areas, explains Cook, a six-time B.A.S.S. tournament winner. But I don't think that is true because both sexes seem to get very aggressive and very food-oriented during what we call the pre-spawn stage. The come out of the cold winter and the water warms up and their metabolism kicks in. Both sexes really become aggressive as feeders; This takes place with temperatures in the upper 40's to lower 50's

[Paul Roberts]

OK, I see the confusion.

Again I think it's the definition of "spawning" behavior.

Yes, males and females feed aggressively in the warming shallows prior to spawning. But, I am describing spawning behavior.

I don't consider the first inshore movements in late winter/early spring as a spawning movement. It is a heat seeking and feeding movement.

I recognize spawning behavior as when the bass become primarily spawning site/substrate oriented -cobbles, tree roots, etc... Males tend to come first and make beds. Females come when they are ready. Males wait for them and actively solicit them when they do come in. Or abandon if they came too early, which is not uncommon.

I call this substrate/spawning site orientation prespawn. I call it spawning when the females are there, being solicited, and dropping eggs.

Does this jive with what you've seen?

[Catt]

Nope apparently you don't because the entire picture is the spawning ritual; from the bass moving shallow for what ever unknown reason to the actual laying of the eggs.

Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here, temperature has a lot to do with the spawn but it is not the only guiding light. Gestation period, water temperature, water depth, water clarity and moon phase all have to be factored in. I believe gestation period triggers the pre-spawn urge for bass to start moving out of winter habitat and into creek coves.

As mentioned in previous topics explain Power Plant Lakes where the water temperature is already at or above 60 degrees and yet the bass go through the exact same spawning ritual.

[Paul Roberts]

Catt,

I have no experience with power plant lakes, except that I've read most have cold areas too.

This from Bighead in the thread you supplied:

"The local power plant (hot water) lakes spawn around the end of Dec. into Jan."

I believe this is exceptionally early. Not "just the same".

I'll look into what's out there on power plant lakes. An interesting situation.

Thanks for your time.

[Willy82]

I have recently caught a largemouth bath on March 2 on the Topwater Buzz bait and missed multiple other fish couldn’t get them to bite on anything else except the buzzbait and I think it was due to higher water, temps then surrounding lakes and ponds, because of so shallow end of black, soft bottom and no moving water I don’t know the exact temp but the lake that I was there to fish primarily, which is a lot bigger a lot deeper than the pond. I was catching the fish at on the Buzzbait was below 45 

[WRB]

Wheat does catching bass on a buzz have to do:with the spawn?

Tom

[king fisher]

     I have know idea when bass spawn in my local lake.  The water is to dirty for me to actually see beds, and I never seem to catch any big bass that are extremely fat.  All the big bass I have caught were healthy but have appeared to be post spawn bass.  The bass I have caught between 25 and 27 inches have all weighed between 10 and 11 pounds.  I saw a bass caught at the latest Lake Fork tournament that was 11 pounds, and barely over 24 inches.  This is the size of bass I want to catch, but I am never able to find the holy grail pre spawn bass in my lake.  Small male bass are always along the shore and easy to catch no matter what time of year

 

According to other anglers in my area the bass spawn during the full moon in January, except when they spawn during the full moon in February, of course there are many years, they spawn during the full moon in March, throw in the odd late year spawn during the full moon in April, and of course we can't leave out the full moon in May.  I catch the most big bass in June, and they are definitely all post spawn.  Picture is of a 10.8 pound 26.5 inch bass caught in mid May, and the tail indicates it had just recently spawned. 

 

The water temperature is always above 60 degrees, the weather is almost exactly the same every day, water clarity is always from 1- 1.5 foot of visibility, wind is strong out of the west in the afternoon, and of course the moon is full once a month.  The water level drops 25 feet from Nov. until July  and is the only thing that can be different year from year.  Some years the water level in march is the same as other years May water level.

 

Unfortunately I have never witnessed a pre spawn feeding frenzy.  I catch bass during every month of the year, but with the exception of June, all the other months are about the same.  The reason June is exceptional is the bass and bait, are concentrated on offshore spots due to the extreme low water.  I have been lucky enough to locate these places, and needless to say, I can't wait for June every year.

 

I would like to capitalize on the pre spawn and have read everything I can about the spawn, but so far have had to settle for long skinny post spawn bass.  I have caught large bass during every month, and although they are not extremely thin, like the bass in June, they due not look like the pre spawn pigs I see in pictures.  I would be interested in hearing the opinions of other anglers, that fish for bass in places where the water temperature does not drastically change throughout the year.

 

A friend of mine that fishes another similar lake, claims the bass spawn more than once during the year, and swears, there is a big spawn in August.  I have my doubts, but maybe he is right.  I have seen some extremely fat bass he has caught in August, but I think the size coincides with the baitfish cycles in the lake.

[gimruis]

[TnRiver46]

I can’t see them either but I assume they are spawning when they quit biting my hooks 

 

which is ironic because everyone always wants to fish during the spawn and garage their boats for the rest of the year 

[J Francho]

Four score and 16 years ago...
 

The lone punctuation, a comma, made me laugh at this zombie thread. 

[softwateronly]

@king fisher I have no idea how to target large prespawn Mexican bass.  Here's my simple thoughts, since prespawn extends for a few months for you and your water, my guess is that you are either missing the water they swim in or you need to present a bait that better resembles what they target when they need to bulk up.  Since you know how to get on them, I'd hedge on the bait.  I'd pick bigger Tilapia imitating swimbaits and rip those around your known spots.  Reality is, I'm just guessing, but I'd really love to see one of your 27"ers all filled out in a pic

 

 

scott

 

 

[Glenn]