RSM789 Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 The spawn this year is under way on my home lake. The last couple of times out, I have noticed a few things that I hadn't seen before My brothers dock is on the south side of the lake, on the main lake, not in a cove. A bass made a nest there a few weeks ago while all of the other spawning activity was taking place on the north side of the lake in coves. There is now a ball of days old bass fry swimming off the left corner of the dock. The male cruises back & forth about 2 feet off the dock (in deeper water), chasing off any other fish that get within 5 feet of the fry. I was surprised how far the male could see other fish, he has spotted other fish & run them down from 20 feet away. At the same time, another bass has made a nest off the right side off the dock, shallower than the other male. This afternoon, he was entertaining a girlfriend on it, although she wasn't much bigger than him. If I stand at the edge of the dock, less than 2 feet away from the nest, he will swim away & then return within 15 seconds. If I am still there, he will repeat the process. He doesn't like someone standing there, but he won't abandon the nest. This is the second year that a bass has nested in that exact spot, but I don't know if it is the same fish. The second bass doesn't swim towards the first one's fry and the first one doesn't harrass the second one's nest Apparently, even though their spawning clocks are different, they are very neighborly. 4 Quote
Super User Sam Posted March 9, 2015 Super User Posted March 9, 2015 Very interesting observation. Thanks for sharing. Quote
RSM789 Posted March 9, 2015 Author Posted March 9, 2015 What's your home lake? It is a small development lake in Lake Forest, California. It is one of those lakes that is built by a developer as a selling point for & a way to increase the real estate value of the new homes they were building at that time. It was built in the mid 1970's. Quote
Super User scaleface Posted March 9, 2015 Super User Posted March 9, 2015 . I was surprised how far the male could see other fish, he has spotted other fish & run them down from 20 feet away. Good post. Ive been amazed at how good bass know their environment . I once saw a smallmouth chasing my lure while it was still in the air. He intercepted it as soon as it touched down. Quote
Robeng Posted March 10, 2015 Posted March 10, 2015 Interesting---thanks RSM789. Would be cool to know if same fish. Quote
Super User WRB Posted March 10, 2015 Super User Posted March 10, 2015 If the lake level allows the bass to return to the same areas to spawn they will. Tom Quote
RSM789 Posted March 10, 2015 Author Posted March 10, 2015 If the lake level allows the bass to return to the same areas to spawn they will. Tom Being a development lake, the water level never varies by more than 6 inches throughout the year. After heavy rains (the few times that happens), it will bump up a little as the excess flows out to the ocean, but the rest of the year, the level is kept constant. Is there a simple way to mark a fish in a way that they can be identified from a distance (without creating problems for him)? I'm considering catching him and maybe dyeing part of his dorsal fin so I can identify him in the future, but I didn't know if that would last. I actually still have some fish tags from the late 70's when my parents had a house out at Canyon Lake and I would tag the bass I caught. The tags are bright yellow, I would just have to create some kind of tool to insert it. Quote
Super User Paul Roberts Posted March 11, 2015 Super User Posted March 11, 2015 Bass commonly return to spawn in the same area, and even the same exact nest spot, provided conditions are conducive. In fact, the "reason" they do this is bc successful sites produce young. Poor sites don't. In the fish sciences world this is called "site fidelity". ...Is there a simple way to mark a fish in a way that they can be identified from a distance (without creating problems for him)? I'm considering catching him and maybe dyeing part of his dorsal fin so I can identify him in the future, but I didn't know if that would last. I actually still have some fish tags from the late 70's when my parents had a house out at Canyon Lake and I would tag the bass I caught. The tags are bright yellow, I would just have to create some kind of tool to insert it. As to identifying individuals, bass (and other fish) tend to have consistent markings. I've ID'd bass and trout this way. So... catch him, take a photo of one side. Catch him again next year, photo, and compare. Here's an example of a LM I caught a year apart along the same bank: Quote
RSM789 Posted March 11, 2015 Author Posted March 11, 2015 Well, I am wearing a trench coat, hat & dark glasses, so I'm trying to be inconspicuous... 4 Quote
Big C Posted March 11, 2015 Posted March 11, 2015 Well, I am wearing a trench coat, hat & dark glasses, so I'm trying to be inconspicuous... NICE! That's hilarious. Quote
Super User WRB Posted March 11, 2015 Super User Posted March 11, 2015 You could fin clip the bass. Go online and look up how to fin clip bass. Tom Quote
OK Bass Hunter Posted March 11, 2015 Posted March 11, 2015 Well, I am wearing a trench coat, hat & dark glasses, so I'm trying to be inconspicuous... Very nice. Thanks for the morning laugh. Quote
Super User Paul Roberts Posted March 12, 2015 Super User Posted March 12, 2015 You could fin clip the bass. Go online and look up how to fin clip bass. Tom Fins grow back out. To be permanent, fIn-clipping requires taking the supporting bones too. But, there's no need to mutilate your fish, their markings are individualized enough. See my post above. Quote
BannedForSpamming-1234555 Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 Thanks for the report and observation. Quote
RSM789 Posted March 15, 2015 Author Posted March 15, 2015 Update - The second male, the one to the right of the dock, was not there today when I went out and later returned. Either he is a deadbeat dad and has abandoned the nest or another angler caught him & kept/relocated him. I saw quite a few fry balls at various docks through out the day today. We have had hot temps the last week and the surface temp reached 70 by mid day. The bass weren't interested in chasing much today, but were very happy to slam a weightless wacky rigged Senko as it sank in front of many of the docks. I would run a crankbait, swim bait or even a Texas rigged in front of the docks with mediocre results, the fish wanted a slow, sinking bait instead. Today, the Senko out caught all of the other baits I used in those areas 8 to 1. Quote
RSM789 Posted March 22, 2015 Author Posted March 22, 2015 Update #2 While there were more fry visible all over the lake, I saw something today I had never seen before. Two weeks ago, there was a ball of about 1000 fry staying close to the dock, with papa bass swimming just out deeper than them, chasing off intruders. They were near the surface in about 3 feet of water. Today, that fry ball is no longer near the dock, but there is a much larger ball (I would guess over 10,000 fry) hanging out away from the dock, near the surface in about 8 feet of water. I am not exaggerating the amount of fry there were, the ball was as long as my 10 ft Pond Prowler as I drifted through them this afternoon. They were 20 feet away from the dock, but there is a sunken Christmas tree below them that may be the reason for them being that far from shore. I don't ever recall seeing fry that far from shore, but I also have never seen a grouping of them this large either. So will different groups of fry join up together for safety? I would think there is a good chance they had the same mom, so they might be half-brethren and are just having a family reunion before 90% of them become meals for other predators. BTW, the most effective lure today was a 3" tube, it produced the most bass and the average size was significantly bigger. Quote
RSM789 Posted April 12, 2015 Author Posted April 12, 2015 Update - The second male, the one to the right of the dock, was not there today when I went out and later returned. Either he is a deadbeat dad and has abandoned the nest or another angler caught him & kept/relocated him... Some late spawners appear to have moved up, because there was a male on that nest that had been abandoned a month ago. I have no idea if it is the same fish as before, there was nothing unusual about this fish. Surface temps of the lake are over 70 degrees, I'm not sure if this guy will have any luck trying to get a female up to his love shack. Not only did this fish move up later than nearly everyone else, he also waited a week after the last full moon. I looked closely at him & he wasn't wearing a wrist watch, so that may explain his tardiness. Or he may be related to my brother-in-law, he is always late for everything... Quote
Super User Paul Roberts Posted April 12, 2015 Super User Posted April 12, 2015 Is the new male a small one? Quote
Smokinal Posted April 12, 2015 Posted April 12, 2015 I'm considering catching him and maybe dyeing part of his dorsal fin so I can identify him in the future, A little dip in some chart JJ's should do the trick. Quote
RSM789 Posted April 12, 2015 Author Posted April 12, 2015 Is the new male a small one? He looks to be about 12 inches long, a typical male for this lake and about the same size of the male that was there last month. The first male was a bit more timid, he would spook completely off the bed and go under the next dock over if anyone approached. This male will turn & look at you, back up slightly, but never veer much off the nest. 1 Quote
guitarglynn1 Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 The spawn this year is under way on my home lake. The last couple of times out, I have noticed a few things that I hadn't seen before My brothers dock is on the south side of the lake, on the main lake, not in a cove. A bass made a nest there a few weeks ago while all of the other spawning activity was taking place on the north side of the lake in coves. There is now a ball of days old bass fry swimming off the left corner of the dock. The male cruises back & forth about 2 feet off the dock (in deeper water), chasing off any other fish that get within 5 feet of the fry. I was surprised how far the male could see other fish, he has spotted other fish & run them down from 20 feet away. At the same time, another bass has made a nest off the right side off the dock, shallower than the other male. This afternoon, he was entertaining a girlfriend on it, although she wasn't much bigger than him. If I stand at the edge of the dock, less than 2 feet away from the nest, he will swim away & then return within 15 seconds. If I am still there, he will repeat the process. He doesn't like someone standing there, but he won't abandon the nest. This is the second year that a bass has nested in that exact spot, but I don't know if it is the same fish. The second bass doesn't swim towards the first one's fry and the first one doesn't harrass the second one's nest Apparently, even though their spawning clocks are different, they are very neighborly. It's a treat when you can sit and watch bass activity this time of year. A spot I go to I get to sit and watch them the whole time I fish and they do the same thing If you stand near them. They swim away and then they will come back after a bit and if you are still there they keep going. But when you leave and come back they are just chilling there hanging out. And I also noticed the same thing as far as them seeing other fish/turtles ect..from a good distance away and getting after them. My lures as well all though the getting after part not so much lol Quote
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