Do Bass And Bluegills And Bowfin Spawn Together?

[Scorcher214]

Was fishing today and saw a lot of beds from 3ft-6inches of water. not a lot of bass sitting on them though. Only about a 1/3 of them had a bass sitting in it. the others had some bluegill swimming around in it and some actually had some bowfin sitting on them! Never seen one before. Thought they were snakeheads haha. Anyways, none of those bass or bowfin hit. Creature, turtle, craw, worm, fluke, nothing (thats about all I was throwing due to the heavy dense weeds in the area). The string of beds were along the shore for about 35-40yds. Every so often i could see what i thought were bass chasing bluegills around(could see the wake). I didn't think that multiple species of fish spawn in that tight of an area together. But it wouldn't be the first time a fish did something that surprised me. So could tell me what I was seeing here? Water temp was probably around the low 60s.

[eyedabassman]

Bluegills will spawn just after the bass do. Not sure about Bowfins.

[Gotfishyfingers?]

Ya what he said. Also down here blue gill beds are grouped together right next to each other (sometimes in rows) and lmb are single beds spread around. If you see bass swimming around throw a spinner -bait or a swim-bait.

[Sam]

Bluegills and bream will attach bass beds.

Bass will attack bluegill and bream beds.

No idea about Bowfin beds.

With bluegills and bream attacking bass beds this is why the bass will not hit your bait. They will pick up your baits and spit them out, away from the bed. The bass will also circle their beds to protect them.

Usually, bass bed first followed by bluegills and Crappie.

[Scorcher214]

Well, I saw bluegills sitting on beds as well, only a few yards from where bass where sitting on beds, and bowfins as well. Was really strange.

[eyedabassman]

Well, I saw bluegills sitting on beds as well, only a few yards from where bass where sitting on beds, and bowfins as well. Was really strange.

That will happen now and then, it depends on the spring that we have. Like this year I too have seen this,but I think it has to do with the warm spring and how fast and early it did come. Up here in Wisconsin we are about 3 weeks ahead of a normal spring. Heck I did see my first June bug last week and they come out in late May early June on most years!

[eyedabassman]

When the bass are on beds try throwing a Northstar Bull gill or any of his blue gill color of swim jigs! Or evan when the gills are on beds that will work.Bass can be hard to pick off of a bed,but the swim jigs helps that because it is a reaction bite. The bass get real mad at a Northstar gill colored swim jig coming into there nest!

[POPRG]

its been a crazy spring pattern here..started way ahead of schedule early on..had a few bass beds formed on the first-second week of april,only to have a 2 week cold snap move in and never saw a bass guarding on beds at all??

as of today,lots of beds w/ only bluegills standing guard..bass were shallow cruising an crushing spinnerbaits & swim jigs.Could not get over how aggressive the bass were,no real monsters,but even 6-8"ers were hammering the spinnerbaits! saw some big schools of fry VERY shallow..looked to be baby bass..possibly perch,but they were long bodied and skinny w/ a lateral line.

Topwater bite is building daily!!

[Scorcher214]

Ya the whole early warm thing is kinda screwin everything up. Usually this time of year I can go out every nice day and catch several decent fish. Today I caught 1...and a dink =/. Weeds seem to be at the point they normally would be at in June. Which is a real pain because I'm shore fishing lately. Also, I can't seem to catch any fish from about 6pm and on.....most of my action is from about 2-5

[North Ga Hillbilly]

With all these species coming together I would look into a Matt lures blue gill, you could have some bass go after them thinking its a bream raiding their bed, as well as go for some of the bass that are targeting the bedding bream.

NGaHB

[webertime]

Bowfin usually start spawning before LM and BG. Although with the goofy weather we've all had up north it's entirely possible that they all overlapped. If Bowfin are around make sure you throw a strong bait.