Spawn - How Long Does It Last, when do they move back out?

[Chuck D]

Wondering if you guys have any input on this as to how long the cycle goes on? What actually drives it? Lunar phases, water temperature, or does it just go on for a certain number of weeks typically and then as some move out, more move up and spawn well into the Summer?

The spawn is most definately on right now here on Lake Norman in NC and the bass are all over the beds. I'm wondering how long they stick around and when fish generally start their post spawn migration patterns and begin to inhabit their Summer time locations? I know they will reverse their routes; Beds > mid creek structure/cover > deeper water Summer time location just as they were in Winter before warmer water started showing up and the days got longer.

Anyone got anything valuable to add on this topic? Would love to hear from you on this. I've not heard one significant data point so far that I'd consider credible. Nothing so far points to how long the cycle actually is and what dictates a shift in patterns. I have instead heard a crap load of mumbo jumbo that's less than half baked scientifically or based on anything other than what some guy heard at the boat ramp yesterday...

Let's hear from you guys who follow fish migration and take this as seriously as the rest of us who do. What's your take on the spawn cycle?

[NCBassin']

From what I have observed the actual spawn is driven more by water temp then any other factor. That temp varies slightly but a good rule of thumb is 62 degrees. That being said once the critical temp has been reached they will spawn during the first following full moon.

The female will usually hang around the bed following the spawn until the fry hatch, which usually happens around the first new moon after the spawn.

The male will remain for sometime after that and guard the fry. They usually will abandon the bed by the second full moon.

[Cobra_190]

Well I am no expert or have scientific data to back it up, but water temp, pretty much rules the entire spawn, by that I mean, once you hit that magical 54-58 degree water, fish will start moving up, and preparing for the upcoming spawn, a sudden drop in air/water temp isn't as critical in this stage as in when they are actually on there beds in the shallower water.

Another thing is to factor in the size of lake you are fishing, when I lived on Lake Fork a few years back, fish would start spawning in the northern part of the lake a full 3-4 weeks before fish in the southern part due to the north warmered a lot quicker because the average depth in the north is a lot shallower, causing the water to warm faster.

[Chuck D]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Cobra_190 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Well I am no expert or have scientific data to back it up, but water temp, pretty much rules the entire spawn, by that I mean, once you hit that magical 54-58 degree water, fish will start moving up, and preparing for the upcoming spawn, a sudden drop in air/water temp isn't as critical in this stage as in when they are actually on there beds in the shallower water.

Another thing is to factor in the size of lake you are fishing, when I lived on Lake Fork a few years back, fish would start spawning in the northern part of the lake a full 3-4 weeks before fish in the southern part due to the north warmered a lot quicker because the average depth in the north is a lot shallower, causing the water to warm faster. </TD></TR></TABLE>

That's good feed back. Thanks for posting it. You are right re: body of water size. Here on Lake Norman (no Lake Fork by any means but 54,000 acres and 540 miles of shoreline) we are actually in the latter 2 stages of the spawn and have been in all 3 for a period of time about a week or two ago. The BFL guys were here and catching fish on the beds while I was out fishing for post spawn fish and putting together my summer pattern plans. Water temp seems to drive it for the most part on these larger impoundments.