does anyone know how much weight a LMB will gain during the spawn.

I ask since I am new ......if I catch a 12 pound sack what will those fish weight next May in a tournament......13? 15?16?

I am trying to gauge how big my top 5 will be when tournaments roll aroung next spring.......

I recall reading a statement in "Sowbelly" that a bass can gain about 2 lbs with eggs. But I understand that statement is directed to trophy bass (by Cali standards).

A 5.5lb female on the "controlled" lake that I fish on will be pushing 7lbs just before she spawns.

Science puts spawn weight gain at approximately 10% of body mass under good conditions.

I am trying to gauge how big my top 5 will be when tournaments roll aroung next spring.......

Your sack will be bigger, though not because the fish are bigger than other times of the year, but because the largest fish in the lake are more vulnerable during the spawn.

Your sack will be bigger, though not because the fish are bigger than other times of the year, but because the largest fish in the lake are more vulnerable during the spawn.

+1

You will also catch the smaller bed guarding males. The females gain their heaviest body weight during pre spawn; egg weight plus body fat gain to sustain them during the spawn when they don't eat.

I also agree it's about a 10-15% average weight gain from eggs + body fat, depending on the health of the bass.

Tom

Here is a prespawn female. She is full of eggs and puttng on the feedbag before the spawn when she may not eat for a week or so.