Eric Davis

Sun Outdoor Columnist

While catch and release fishing is allowed for largemouth and smallmouth bass year-round, the legal season to keep them begins on the third Saturday of June (the 15 this year). This can mean fishermen and women can keep five bass that are greater than 12 inches in length per day. However, this also allows for tournaments to be held where fishermen will put fish they catch into their live well until the end of the tournament where their total catch (up to 5 fish) are weighed. Whether you are fishing to eat or as part of a tournament, knowing how to fish the spawn can be the difference between success and going home empty-handed.

Largemouth bass like to spawn in relatively shallow water, less than 8 feet deep, when the water temperature is 55 to 65 degrees. The male bass will pick a bed location, typically close to a piece of cover or structure. They will clear out a spot on the bottom that will be where the female will deposit her eggs before the male fertilizes the eggs. Male bass will guard the nest until the eggs hatch and then they will guard the fry as they grow. Beds will often be a white spot on a dark bottom or a dark spot on a light bottom. If you spot a bed with a fish on it, it most likely is a male bass.