Fishing the bass spawn
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.
The best way to fish this is with a soft plastic lizard that is Texas-rigged. Don’t worry as much about having the point of the hook buried in the plastic of the lizard. Cast beyond the bed and bring the lizard into the bed. Let the lizard sit in the bed. The bass will pick up the lizard and carry it out of the bed.
Another popular bait is any soft plastic in either pink or white. The bright color doesn’t make a difference to the bass but it makes it easier for the fisherman to see the lure and when the bass picks it up.
If you spot a ball of fry moving in shallow water, you can guess there is at least one male watching them. A shallow crankbait or a soft jerkbait retrieved right through the ball of fry will trigger the protective instinct of the male and get them to bite.
Female bass will stage in slightly deeper water than the spawning grounds until they are ready to spawn. They feed heavily to aid in egg production. A crankbait or spinnerbait fished slowly in 6-8 feet of water can be the ticket.
One thing to remember is that the water in a body of water is not all the same temperature. This means that one bay or cove may have active spawning occurring and the next bay can have fish getting ready to spawn soon. The north end of a lake will be warmer due to the angle of the sun compared to the south end of the lake. Also, woody structure heats up quicker than green vegetation so areas with a lot of stumps or sunken trees will warm up.
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.
The best way to fish this is with a soft plastic lizard that is Texas-rigged. Don’t worry as much about having the point of the hook buried in the plastic of the lizard. Cast beyond the bed and bring the lizard into the bed. Let the lizard sit in the bed. The bass will pick up the lizard and carry it out of the bed.
Another popular bait is any soft plastic in either pink or white. The bright color doesn’t make a difference to the bass but it makes it easier for the fisherman to see the lure and when the bass picks it up.
If you spot a ball of fry moving in shallow water, you can guess there is at least one male watching them. A shallow crankbait or a soft jerkbait retrieved right through the ball of fry will trigger the protective instinct of the male and get them to bite.
Female bass will stage in slightly deeper water than the spawning grounds until they are ready to spawn. They feed heavily to aid in egg production. A crankbait or spinnerbait fished slowly in 6-8 feet of water can be the ticket.
One thing to remember is that the water in a body of water is not all the same temperature. This means that one bay or cove may have active spawning occurring and the next bay can have fish getting ready to spawn soon. The north end of a lake will be warmer due to the angle of the sun compared to the south end of the lake. Also, woody structure heats up quicker than green vegetation so areas with a lot of stumps or sunken trees will warm up.
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