Do Bass Migrate?

[WRB]

Bass do not have any issue going deeper, the air bladder compresses with increase water pressure, they must keep swimming to maintain deeper depth until the air bladder adjust, about a 24 hour period.

It is not uncommon for bass, during the cold water period without a thermocline, to swim up and strike a near or surface swimbait from 30 to 35 feet depths and return immediately. My depth limit is about 35 feet due to swim bladder issue.

One reason that deep bass blow up the swim bladder is they were deeper than 40 feet. During the winter we occasionally catch a bass fishing at 25 - 35 feet and the bass has extended swim bladders, the reason is that bass was suspended at 50 to 60 feet, swam up 25 to 35 feet and was hooked at that depth, then we fight them up to the surface and the pressure change to the bass is 50 to 60 feet.

During the summer most of our lakes set up a thermocline at 35 feet or so, the bass rarely go deeper.

Tom

[WRB]

I had a discussion about this on the dock the other night with a fellow club member. I was thinking our smallmouth in our lake were running into the main "river" in the summer. His argument was that the fish in the river are there all year, its not the bass in the lake moving up.

It's been my experience that smallies roam around far more than LMB and have a wider depth range comfort zone and prefer cooler water temps, about 10 degrees cooler then LMB.

Tom

[Catt]

As per Merriam-Webster dictionary

 

Migrate: to pass usually periodically from one region or climate to another for feeding or breeding.

 

By definition it appears to me bass do in fact migrate

 

Here’s my example; a few years back two 10 pound plus bass were caught on the south end of Toledo Bend and brought to Toledo Tackle at the Pendleton Bridge to verify weight on certified scales. Both bass were rereleased at the bridge, then an interesting thing happen both bass were caught again close to the original location.

[WRB]

I had a discussion about this on the dock the other night with a fellow club member. I was thinking our smallmouth in our lake were running into the main "river" in the summer. His argument was that the fish in the river are there all year, its not the bass in the lake moving up.

It's been my experience that smallies roam around far more than LMB and have a wider depth range comfort zone and prefer cooler water temps, about 10 degrees cooler then LMB. Smallies also spawn in cooler water between 58 to 65 degrees, on gravel bottoms.

Tom

[WRB]

As per Merriam-Webster dictionary

Migrate: to pass usually periodically from one region or climate to another for feeding or breeding.

By definition it appears to me bass do in fact migrate

Here’s my example; a few years back two 10 pound plus bass were caught on the south end of Toledo Bend and brought to Toledo Tackle at the Pendleton Bridge to verify weight on certified scales. Both bass were rereleased at the bridge, then an interesting thing happen both bass were caught again close to the original location.

The definition leaves out "as a group". I agree that bass migrate as groups seasonally, the question is daily?

When BASS was tracking a few bass during their tournaments a few years ago, the same behavior was noted, some radio tagged bass stayed put and a few move miles away where they were originally caught. One bass moved during the tournament the 1st day and swam none stop over 20 miles, down a creek arm, up the main lake and into another creek arm.

There was a SanVincente lake tracking study in the 80's (In Pursuit of Giant Bass) where big bass were radio tagged and released and tracked for a year. During the winter most of the big bass located in deep water near mid lake submerged islands. These winter bass stayed on average about 2 weeks at time, a few would leave and swim a few miles away, then return in a few days and repeat this behavior. The group dispersed to stage and spawn at various areas around the lake and by mid summer were back in their winter holding areas, just shallower. This should give us a clue to where big bass go after they spawn and we don't see them agian until the next spawn....mid lake deep structure and occasionally other areas.

Tom

[Catt]

I agree that bass migrate as groups seasonally, the question is daily?

 

Migrate: to pass usually periodically from one region or climate to another for feeding or breeding.
 

That does not fit "daily"?

[WRB]

I agree that bass migrate as groups seasonally, the question is daily?

Migrate: to pass usually periodically from one region or climate to another for feeding or breeding.

That does not fit "daily"?

Yes, if the bass move from 1 region ( mid lake to a creek arm) and the climate (water temps) change daily.

They do this seasonally without question, daily.......power generation reservoirs it's likely.

Good to have you back Catt, your knowledge and wit was missed!

Tom