This article will cover some aspects of the pre-spawn and spawning process. In Part 2 I’ll talk more about the spawn and post spawn as well as give tips on techniques I have had success with.
Spring is the time when bass start their journey to the shallow water for the yearly ritual of spawning. However out here in the gin clear waters of California, I personally have seen bass on beds as deep as 20 feet. But as a general rule most bass will move up to the shallow’s to spawn. It is at this time that bass become more vulnerable and easier to catch. During spawning time the bass basically come to the fisherman, instead of the fisherman having to go out and hunt for the sometimes elusive creature.
The biggest bass will usually will spawn on the first full moon when the water temp reach’s right about 60 degrees. One key to look for during pre-spawn is the smaller male bass cruising the shallows or even building nests which they will later try and coax the larger females to come in and spawn in. “Hey Baby, Check Out My Pad”
The Reproductive instincts of bucket mouth and the actual pre-spawn activity start alto earlier then one might expect. It begins in late fall, and goes through several stages before the bass start the yearly migration to reproduce.
The larger female bass start producing roe in the fall, and the eggs continue to develop through the colder winter months. Think about it, how many times have you caught a bass during the fall or even winter, figured you would keep one or two for a fresh fish dinner and then when you filleted it out found that she had eggs in her. I know this has happened to me and me personally, I’ve felt bad about it because I just ruined the chance that any of those eggs would ever become a legal sized bass.
Anyhow, scientific studies prove that spawning behavior is dictated by the length of day, which provides more warmth from the sun, this of course causes the water temperature to elevate from its previously chilly winter temperatures. As the days get longer the water temperatures continues to rise to the point that it triggers the natural instincts of the bass leave their winter haunts and move toward the spawning grounds.
Not all bass in any lake will spawn at the same time. If conditions are right in one part of the lake some bass may start the ritual allot earlier in the year than another part of the lake. In different parts of the country bass spawning in lower, or higher, water temperatures is nothing abnormal. As a general rule of thumb when water temperatures reach somewhere between 58 to 62 degrees, the ritual begins. The male bass move up first and will start searching the shallows for protected nesting sites and the ideal place to build his nest.
The upper ends of any lake, in the northern coves along the west side, tend to warm up the quickest because the sun shines on them for longer periods throughout the course of the day. Due to the fact that the lower ends of lakes are generally deeper, the water temperatures may not rise to the ideal temperature for quite awhile in comparison to the upper lake spots. Hence it is usually later in the season for the that area’s resident bass to spawn
So you ask, just where were the bass hiding at before they made their move up to the spawning grounds?
Bass will always gather somewhere close to the spawning grounds, just chilling, kickin back if you will, in areas that often called staging areas waiting until the conditions are just right before moving up. Old creek channels, ditches, old roads or just hard pronounced contour lines will be used as a traveling route towards shallow spawning areas.
Points have always been thought of as the preferred primary structure before they actually begin to move into the flats. Little pockets, cubby holes if you will serve as excellent places for the actual spawning ritual because their well protected. If there are no pockets then look for some kind of structure, bushes, rocks, etc., more often than not bass will setup by that one single bush or stickup rather than a whole “forest” of bushes.
The earliest spawning bass at times run into issues during their spawning run due to the volatile weather, cold fronts, high winds and such that we usually encounter in early Spring.. When a front comes in and the temperature drops, even if just slightly, bass tend to move back out to a little deeper water on the points and or break lines because deeper water is less effected by the weather elements.
Remember, the points that lead to warm protected spots in coves will be used by these pre-spawn bass as their staging area, as well as be utilized by bass that have moved back out to deeper water because of some adverse conditions.
How does locate these staging areas? One way to find these areas, is to study a good topographical map of the lake. Look for contour lines and breaks, and determine where a good spawning area might be, and then find the creek that comes closest to a secondary point. That will be the “Prime” spot for staging bass. Locate this spot and you have located the mother load!. As long as the lake level remains stable, bass will return year after year to the same area to spawn, therefore the staging and recuperating areas will remain consistent also. This however is not the case out here in California because of the often fluctuation water levels as well the lack of rain lately. But all you need to do is move out a little and find the same type of location and chances are you will be ok.
During late winter and early spring be sure to stay in tune with the basses movements. Search the shallows for the male’s looking for that perfect spot or even building their nests to convince “Big Momma” that he has the best pad to spawn in. Check water temperatures, especially in the upper end of your lake and also find the warmest water. By the way, this is the time of the year that I plan my fishing trips around the moon phases. When those events are taking place, if your able to locate a creek channel or old road with an irregular contour that is close and especially if it leads to the spawning grounds, that will be where the staging female bass will be holding.
Part 2. The Actual Spawn, tips and Post Spawn. Stay tuned.
Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!
