Not unlike the breeding cycle of many of God’s creatures, the life cycle of the bass is filled with mystery. To try and help those who find this piece of the fishing puzzle somewhat confusing, we must begin by breaking down the series of events that make this a unique time in the calendar for both the fish and the angler.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
One of the most important things to remember when discussing the spawn is water temperature. Depending on where you live, bass can have one or more spawning opportunities based on not only the temperature but also the weather conditions. In the north and here in Canada, we usually get only one spawn, however Texas and Florida can have as many as three or four spawns, sometimes back to back in different sections of a lake!
Pre-Spawn (As early as February, or as late as June)
Water temperature should be around 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (a little cooler is acceptable for smallmouth). Early on, look for partially submerged wood and rocks as these will hold heat and attract those fish that are ready to begin the process.
In preparation for the “big event” and dependant upon location, the male large and smallmouth bass both have similar functions to perform to attract the right female to the location he has selected. The fish are preoccupied with their desire to mate and fishing for these fish, despite being highly visible, is very difficult and time consuming. During this time I try to fish a little deeper for those males and females who have not yet made the decision to spawn.
Bed preparations are very important and location can make the difference between life and death for the eggs and ultimately the fry. There is no doubt that an intimate knowledge of the environment makes for two types of bass, a smart bass or a dumb bass!
Commonly, a young, inexperienced male will rush to make a bed and herd a female onto it to begin the mating process. younger females may well take the opportunity to spawn, however their youthful exuberance and lack of experience will result in the eggs eaten by predators or frozen to death from a “cold snap” which as we can all attest to is a possibility during the early part of Spring. The smarter fish will hold off until the weather has warmed the area for more than a few days. These smart fish are also larger and their ability to understand the climactic changes is the very reason they got so big. Remember also that large, “smart” fish, pass on there genetic code making for more large and smart fish for your lake or pond!
Spawn
Water temperature should now be closer to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the eggs have been laid, nest raids take place soon after the female leaves the nest. She will move to the first or secondary drop off in d
eeper (cooler) water to rest. She will not however be too far from the nest as I will further explain.
The male or males (subject to the size of the female) must now stand guard over the eggs, however they tend to stray for food and it is the female’s job to keep a watchful eye on the males during this time. I have also seen male bass chase predators away only to be pushed back by the female. Sadly, if the male is heavily outnumbered by either bluegill or perch, one group will draw attention away from the nest, while another group “swoop in” and feast on the now unprotected eggs.
Anglers tend to fish these bedding areas simply because the fish are conditioned to stay on the beds which make them easy targets. I emphasize that returning the fish immediately will give the male a chance to rear the next generation of bass for your local lake or pond. Taking a bedding fish and removing it from the nest signs a death warrant on those unprotected eggs or fry that remain. In smaller waters, an entire year of bass could effectively be eliminated, so please think long and hard before attempting this mode of fishing.
Post Spawn
This is a tough time for the angler and it isn’t easy finding fish to take your offering after their exhaustive efforts of breeding and tending to the thousands of fry. Fishing for these fish requires a stealthy approach and long casts. Perhaps one of the masters of this style of fishing is Shaw Grigsby whom I have had the pleasure of fishing with on the BASSMASTERS tournament trail. I’ve personally witnessed his ability to catch fish during this time frame. If you can get your hands on his DVD’s or books, I highly recommend it.
Remember these fish are exhausted after the spawn so do not expect earth shattering bites. Instead, watch for subtle line twitches and/or heaviness in your line. Keep in mind that if the water cools, bass won’t exert themselves to chase a lure, so SLOW down those presentations!
Some Additional Notes
Pre-Spawn
Rod lengths: 6’ to 6’6” with a medium action.
Line strength: 10 to 15lb test mono for cranking. Other lures require 10 to 15lb copolymer line with a fluorocarbon leader.
Lures: Crankbaits, rattletraps, football headed jigs with pork trailers.
Spawn and Post Spawn
Rod lengths: 7 feet and above and mostly of the spinning variety to ensure accurate casts.
Line strength: – No more than 10lb test copolymer line with a fluorocarbon leader.
Lures: Small grubs, micro jigs, the drop shot and my personal favorite, the four inch weightless worm.
Tight Lines.
Charles "The Bass Doctor" Stuart.
Copyright (c) Charles Graham MacLeod-Stuart. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts
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