Late Spawn...

[jmed999]

I'm in SC and we have had cooler than normal weather the past few weeks.  I'm thinking this may push the spawn out a little this year.  Are you guys thinking the same thing?

 

Thoughts?

[WRB]

Since bass can't read and can only know what the water temperature is, they go into pre spawn when the water at the depth they are in is about 55 degrees, then move up to start to spawn about 62 degrees....everywhere.

[Gatorbassman]

Where are you in SC. I live in Augusta. 

 

Like WRB said, The spawn will happen when the water temp gets right. But I've noticed that when the bass have a wait a little longer the number of bass spawning in the first wave is a lot more than other years. There should be spawning bass in every protected spawning flat on the lake. Start looking at the northwest end and work your way down lake as the spawn progresses. 

[Paul Roberts]

Here's how I've come to understand it -essentially reiterating what Tom said above, just fleshing it out some:
 

Bass tend to winter deep but begin to move shallow early -not long after ice out in many waters. Some studies have shown such movement AT ice out. These initial movements are following the food chain. What they appear to be waiting for in terms of the spawn is temperature stabilization at depth, that is a mass of water that cannot easily be re-cooled. Once water heats it can hold heat well, thus becomes more stable temperature wise. For bass beginning pre-spawn this means a good 10+fow hitting and maintaining ~55F. Fluctuating temps prior can keep them at bay. This 55F number happens to jive with the lethal temperature for bass eggs. No surprise there I guess. The spawn is normally initiated around 60F.

 

[jmed999]

Where are you in SC. I live in Augusta. 

 

Like WRB said, The spawn will happen when the water temp gets right. But I've noticed that when the bass have a wait a little longer the number of bass spawning in the first wave is a lot more than other years. There should be spawning bass in every protected spawning flat on the lake. Start looking at the northwest end and work your way down lake as the spawn progresses. 

 

I'm in Aiken.  I've chatted with you before but you may not remember.  I live on an 8 acre pond.  You should come fishing sometime!  The water temp here is about 50 degrees at sunrise.

[jmed999]

Does anyone know what the prespawn and spawn temp is for crappie?  I'm planning to go fishing this weeekend and I'm thinking I'm a little early for the real active bass.  Maybe The Crappie are active/prespawn.  My home automation system tells me exactly what the water temp is on my cell phone so I can track it very closely (it's currently 50F).  So if I know the prespawn and spawn temp of Crappie I can decide what rods to bring (Crappie or bass) before I go.

 

Thanks for the help!

[jeremyryanwebb]

I'm in Aiken.  I've chatted with you before but you may not remember.  I live on an 8 acre pond.  You should come fishing sometime!  The water temp here is about 50 degrees at sunrise.

 

 

Good to see some hometown folks! I lived in aiken all my life but didnt start fishing heavy til i moved down here to the beaufort/hilton head area.  The fishing been good in the area? I make pretty frequent trips back to aiken for family stuff