The Spawn - Temperature Or Time?

[flyingmonkie]

I've been questioning this lately, and a few posts tonight have given me the urge to ask.  When it comes to the bass spawn, which is more important: water temp, or time of year?

 

As with most of you, we've had an unusually late winter and cold spring here.  Regardless, days are still getting longer.  I'd be hardpressed to find water in 60s, but blooming dogwoods are everywhere.  In off season's such as this, will bass follow nature's other cues, or will they wait?

[J Francho]

Everything else could be right, but if the temps aren't there, they won't spawn.

[BuffaloBass716]

I'm no expert, but I'd say temperature has everything to do with when the bass will spawn and so on.  Colder water that is below average for a certain part of the year will slow everything and delay what the bass are doing. (the great lakes are still dealing with ice breaking up)

[McAlpine]

Time.

Temp just puts them where you can see them spawn.

They haven't made it several million years by not procreating just because the water is off a few degrees.

[J Francho]

There's no point in them procreating if the temp is off. The eggs need to be within range to be viable. I've seen spawns as early as April, and as late as mid July. Different lakes will be at different states - pre to post - depending on temps.

[Catt]

It's way more than temperature!

[J Francho]

I agree, Catt. But temps gotta be in the ballpark first. Especially in northern climes. Pick a water, and get on it twice a week. You'll almost be able to predict it.

[Mainebass1984]

Temperature is very important here in New England.

[tholmes]

There's no point in them procreating if the temp is off. The eggs need to be within range to be viable. I've seen spawns as early as April, and as late as mid July. Different lakes will be at different states - pre to post - depending on temps.

I agree. While temperature isn't the only factor, it is, by far, the most important factor. Bass (and other fish) won't spawn until the water is warm enough for the eggs to survive and hatch.

 

Tom

[Catt]

The female will not lay her eggs regardless of temperature until those eggs are mature.

There is no single determining factor, temperature is something we can track giving us an idea of when the spawn will the take place.

[J Francho]

Many do not lay eggs at all. According to DEC biologists up here, 75-80% of adult bass don't spawn.

[Deleted account]

Its all about the temperature, but the temperature is directly and/or indirectly related to several other factors, which are in turn related. So to try to separate them and view them individually, doesn't make sense. Most fish have a narrow band of temperatures where they will spawn. 

[Catt]

It is not uncommon to gave a warming thrend in late February or early March that warms the SURFACE TEMPERATURE well into the 60s and yet the female does not drop her egg. Why?

[J Francho]

Bass do not spawn at the surface.

[BradGuenette]

Definitely water temp last year up here on the St.Lawrence we had bass on beds June 30th,This year if things keep going the way they are they will still be there well into July.

[Mainebass1984]

It is not uncommon to gave a warming thrend in late February or early March that warms the SURFACE TEMPERATURE well into the 60s and yet the female does not drop her egg. Why?

 

I don't think you can compare bass spawning in the deep south to California or any northern state. In February and March everything is still covered in ice up here. We wont see a stable water temperature of 60 degrees in the first layer of the water column until very late May and early June. This coincides with the eggs becoming mature. There are many factors that dictate when they will spawn. That being said every year on the exact same day I go to a specific pond in Maine and catch Smallmouth on beds, and there will be three fish on each bed, two males and one female.

This is a great example of a slight difference in bass behavior based on the region you live in.

 

Many do not lay eggs at all. According to DEC biologists up here, 75-80% of adult bass don't spawn.

 

That is pretty amazing. The survival rates of bass fry must be very, very good and it must be water body specific. In a small body of water  you would have difficulty supporting a decent bass population with very little reproduction.  Is there an online report I could check out ? Very interesting stuff.

[Catt]

Bass do not spawn at the surface.

Why we reading surface temperature?

The answer to my question is the eggs aint ready.

[Brian Needham]

 

 

The survival rates of bass fry must be very, very good and it must be water body specific.

 

I thought I have read the mortaility rate is very, very high, upwards to like 80% or so....... can someone verify or bunk this?

[Mainebass1984]

I thought I have read the mortaility rate is very, very high, upwards to like 80% or so....... can someone verify or bunk this?

 

About 80 % of eggs will hatch. Then with in the next few weeks there will be another die off, first feeding die off. Predators certainly take there toll within the next few weeks. Few will survive to adult hood and there first spawn.

 

Yes mortality is usually very high. If 75-80% of adults don't spawn in the body of water that Franco's DEC report was conducted on then either that body of water has a very high rate of fry reaching adulthood or it is a very large body of water.

[rbreedi1]

Amount of daylight puts them in place , water temp will get it started. Some spawn earlier than others. They all dont spawn at the same time, its just natures way of ensuring survival of the species. Things could happen like a cold snap or water drawn down that could kill off many young or eggs. If they all spawned at the same time, a complete year class could be lost.

[WRB]

Bass will abort the spawn and do if the water temps are not warm enough when the eggs are fully formed. The problem with cold water is the eggs will not hatch or take too long to hatch. The temps we post 62-67 for LMB are average for the majority of the bass population, not a absolute range.

Nature being what it is isn't exact, some bass don't spawn, some may spawn in the fall.

Tom

[slimshad]

KVD has a blog on Bassmaster.com.  He says its more about the length of day and moon phase.  Temp isn't as big of a factor.  If you click on his blogs it will show up on the right side.  I think he is pretty smart?! The article is "It's not all about temp"

[Brian Needham]

I got old time locals that swear by the March full moon, and I dont discount that.

 

BUT, a bass aint laying eggs in 50 degree water, I dont care what the moon says. thats my opinion.

 

it is a big combo of moon, photo lenght, and temp and water level (if in tidal or river system)

[slimshad]

KVD says upper 40s degree in article lol

[Brian Needham]

LMAO....... I could be wrong, it just doesnt seem right though..... upper 40s seems maybe on the curve of a smallmouth. but upper 40s seems awlful cold for incubation.

 

I dont doubt for a bit they will begin to move up then, but to lay eggs in that cold of water, that will be a new one to me.

 

I defer to Catt, and WRB... I'll take their word for it over just about anybody.