How Far Will A Bedding Bass Follow A Bait?

[tomustang]

Bass are spawning in this area of the river, I can account for atleast 3 spots where I'm getting the bump out and tail strikes from but each area it seems like they got them covered in a 20ft diameter radius sometimes more, I know they'll chase a bait away from their bed but how far would they stray?

[ww2farmer]

Depends on how agressive they are, it varies from fish to fish. Sometimes they are so protective they come off the bed to "escort" the boat away, sometimes they spook off when a bird flies over head and don't come back for a while. Smallmouth in general seem way more agressive then LM.

[tomustang]

I can attest to the smallies, it's interesting to see they pummel carp 5 times their size for going in their zone. With their varying travel I'm wondering if I should leave the area be, since I don't have good clarity in the water where they are I don't want them bumping into each other

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

In the clear water I fish I have seen a bass take my nightcrawler swim 20 feet or so spit it out go back to its bed. This was neat to see.

[NCbassmaster4Life]

That's a great question, we watching bass on beds usually the male will be the one in front of the bed, while the mama stays on. Depending on the aggresion level, usually the male will bite first and how close you get it on the bed.

[psuangler91]

I was watching two bedding fish today in about a foot of water and the female stayed put either right on the bed or just off it and the male stayed locked to the bed only leaving to chase some bluegill away. I fished for the female for an hour and a half and she wouldn't take anything I threw, jigs, lizards, weighted fluke, senko, nothin.