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  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
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    Waverly, Iowa
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    2,632

    spawning questions

    Had a couple spawning questions...first, when the females start to go shallow for the spawn, do they generally go to the beds right away or is there a period of time (a day or two) where they stay shallow, feed up, and get ready to get on the beds? Second, once the females move up and onto the beds, how long are they typically there before they move off the beds and enter that post-spawn cycle? The places I fish don't have very clear water, so the only part of the spawn I ever see is occasionally seeing a female on a bed, or seeing the male guarding fry up really shallow.

  2. Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Siler City NC
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    3,813
    #2
    There is a bunch of theories on this topic so I can't honestly say for sure but I love to sight fish and have spend days on the water looking for and catching fish on the beds. I believe the females move shallow and feed for several days if not weeks before they move to the beds. Usually can be caught on the first breaks or shallow cover close to deeper water. If the weather turns cold they will pull back to a more comfortable water temp.
    Once they decide the move to the beds they will pair up with a buck bass and spawn this time frame can last from a couple hours to a day. A females bass will lay eggs with several different buck bass over a few days before she moves off the bedding grounds and starts feeding again. I know this for a fact as I have caught the same females on different beds with different buck bass. That is also the reason it is hard to find a big female on the bed the day before a tournament and go back the next day and catch her because more times than not she has moved. If you look around in the same general area she usually will be there with another buck.

  3. Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Twin Cities, MN
    Posts
    8,048
    #3
    Fished over a bunch of them yesterday that were up *real* shallow and definitely were not on beds yet. There were beds in the general area, but no fish locked on that I could find. Best sight fishing day I can remember. 58 degree water. Caught 20+ that were within 15 feet of the boat, including several in the 3.5 lb range and quite a few obvious females full of eggs. Of course I missed the mondo that I fooled into grabbing a swimjig when I dropped it in her face...no idea how I missed her as she ate it completely and was facing away from me, but somehow I did. That image will replay time and time again in my mind for some time, I suspect.
    2011 Skeeter ZX225
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  4. Member Walkabout7781's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Renton, WA
    Posts
    11,979
    #4
    I've seen big females (bass!) cruising in packs. I'm not sure if they were looking for beds, or looking for snacks. There is no doubt that the bucks sweep out the nests and then want to sit there and wait for a girl to come by and drop some eggs. The bucks will move off if they know you're there and will come back to the nest using the same exact route. It's really interesting and educational to watch, whether you fish for them or not. I've also seen bass come rocketing off a nest and drilling a carp in the ribs. I don't think the carp knew the bass were there, but the bass were being VERY serious about keeping potential predators away. The males had made the nests, but the girls hadn't dropped eggs yet, IMO.

    FYI, I saw the big girls in packs on July 1, many years ago, and caught two of approximately 4 or 5. The biggest was 4 lbs. 2 oz. and the second was 3 lbs. even. I'd previously caught a 3 lb. 13 oz. a bit earlier, probably 100 yards away, and it was the first time I'd ever been on the lake...and in my canoe. Stealth matters! I saw all the fish before I cast to them. The last two, I was right in the middle of the "pod", but had very slowly stood up in the canoe and pitched a tube with minimal arm & rod movement. It's my belief that they'll think you're a tree (or something non-threatening) if you don't move much. They're half-wits, but cautious half-wits...
    Don't bother me, I'm screwing for virginity.

    I killed a 12-pack just to watch it die.