Interesting Bass/gar Behavior At The Lake

[Cobra Bass]

Hey yall

I have been browsing this forum for a while but never joined. I was finally prompted to join today after seeing something strange at my lake. I was fishing off a dock and all of a sudden at the exact same time about a dozen bass (maybe gar) started jumping out of the water like crazy for about 15 seconds. They were all in the same area, very concentrated. It was very weird, I've never seen anything like this. This is something I would expect of baitfish, but not large fish. Have you guys seen this before? What could have caused this?

[roadwarrior]

If they were bass, thet were just chasing baitfish near the surface. Gar will do this, too, but

the behavior is also part of the mating ritual. On the Tennessee River we have buffalo fish

raising cane with several males fighting over every female. Some of these fish are HUGE!

 

White bass and striper are also prone to this behavior, especially this time of year.

[redboat]

Lotta longnose gar doing this on Toledo Bend the last couple weeks.  Gar spawning I think.

[Hogsticker]

Egg shaking or feeding most likely.

[Sam]

Are you sure they were bass?

 

Never read, saw or heard about largemouth our smallmouth, Kentucky, black, Florida strain or spotted bass doing this.

 

I would have thought most of the spawning in South Carolina has been completed by now, with a few stragglers.

 

Maybe the bass were feeding on top. I have seen stripers do this in a feeding frenzy on Smith Mountain Lake and that was fantastic.

 

Question for you: do you always fish on your knees like in your photo?

 

Welcome to the Forum. We expect you to be an integral part and share your information and ask questions. On your knees, sitting down or standing up!

[Bluebasser86]

Sounds like bass chasing baitfish on the surface to me. If they were right on the bank they may be carp or gar spawning, they throw water all over the place and create all kinds of havoc in the shallows when they're spawning. 

[Cobra Bass]

Are you sure they were bass?

 

Never read, saw or heard about largemouth our smallmouth, Kentucky, black, Florida strain or spotted bass doing this.

 

I would have thought most of the spawning in South Carolina has been completed by now, with a few stragglers.

 

Maybe the bass were feeding on top. I have seen stripers do this in a feeding frenzy on Smith Mountain Lake and that was fantastic.

 

Question for you: do you always fish on your knees like in your photo?

 

Welcome to the Forum. We expect you to be an integral part and share your information and ask questions. On your knees, sitting down or standing up!

Yes, I always fish from my knees. haha Kidding, I was just reaching down off the dock to grab the big guy. And I think a lot of you guys are right about the gar. I saw a lot of gar swimming around the rest of the day. Being from New England explains why I have never seen this!

[GoTakeANap]

Are you sure they were bass?

 

Never read, saw or heard about largemouth our smallmouth, Kentucky, black, Florida strain or spotted bass doing this.

 

I would have thought most of the spawning in South Carolina has been completed by now, with a few stragglers.

 

Maybe the bass were feeding on top. I have seen stripers do this in a feeding frenzy on Smith Mountain Lake and that was fantastic.

 

Question for you: do you always fish on your knees like in your photo?

 

Welcome to the Forum. We expect you to be an integral part and share your information and ask questions. On your knees, sitting down or standing up!

 

 

I know the spawning is still going on at lake murray. Havent been to Lake Marion yet this year. Its most likely gar chasing baitfish thou. Alot of gar around here.

[gallowaypt]

Carp do this all the time during spawn at one of my local lakes. They will cause quite the commotion in very shallow water.