Are Bass Territorrial?

[smr_hga]

I've been wondering this lately. At my home pond there are a few spillways since its used for sprinkler water and stuff. Whenever i go fishing there i always make sure to dip my lure into the spillway to try and draw out any fish. Suprisingly there is about a 50% chance of something being there. Although its hard to sneak over there without scaring them out of hiding. Anyways it's gotten me thinking if bass are perhaps territorrial or something like that. Do they have set homes? Maybe they just wake up each day and choose a spot around the pond to camp out and wait for food. Could someone shed some light on this?

[Bluebasser86]

They certainly can be. If a fish gets a prime piece of cover where the hunting is good, they might not be real big on the idea of sharing it. They don't always have set ranges though. The studies I've seen always show that some fish are homebodies, while others are roamers. 

[Josh Smith]

The same bass generally has its own hangout.

If you catch a bass at a stump on the other side of a lake and release it at the dock, more likely than not that bass will find its way back to that stump in a day or two.

Josh

[BaitMonkey1984]

Yup, their are some fish that do this. I call them "resident" fish. In my experience these resident fish are quality fish on a great piece of structure/cover. For example, there has been a 3+lber sitting under my girlfriends pontoon boat all summer. It is a big fish for up here in NE, and the 20foot party boat and dock is a good piece of cover. That fish, even when spooked, comes right back. I have had the joy of catching her on my first cast many times.  

[J Francho]

At times, they are very territorial, like during the spawn. Other times they're schooled up.

[68camaro]

Yup, their are some fish that do this. I call them "resident" fish. In my experience these resident fish are quality fish on a great piece of structure/cover. For example, there has been a 3+lber sitting under my girlfriends pontoon boat all summer. It is a big fish for up here in NE, and the 20foot party boat and dock is a good piece of cover. That fish, even when spooked, comes right back. I have had the joy of catching her on my first cast many times.  

 

Ditto. At my parents place if we want to catch a quick fish we just skip under pontoon.

[WRB]

The pond environment is a small ecosystem that every predator fish knows well. Location is a big key to becoming a good bass angler, knowing where the bass are located and why they are there is important.

Why are the bass always around the outflow? The answer should be obvious; a structure element that provides shelter and a constant supply of prey.

Tom

[Sam]

Yes, they are territorial as noted above.

When you pull one out of a structure another one will take its place.

[smr_hga]

Yup, their are some fish that do this. I call them "resident" fish. In my experience these resident fish are quality fish on a great piece of structure/cover. For example, there has been a 3+lber sitting under my girlfriends pontoon boat all summer. It is a big fish for up here in NE, and the 20foot party boat and dock is a good piece of cover. That fish, even when spooked, comes right back. I have had the joy of catching her on my first cast many times.

I agree on them being good quality. Some of my biggest bass out of the pond have been under the spillway.

[HoosierHawgs]

I think your spillway situation is a little different than a territorial or resident bass situation. I think that fish are just being opportunistic and using the spillway for its fresh supply of food and oxygen, not necessarily them being territorial. I could be wrong, but that's my thought.

[Sam]

Hey guys, I want to add to this thread.

When the bass pull off of an area where they have been holding they move to deeper water.

For the most part, they do not swim one, two or more miles up and down the bank.

For the most part, they are in deeper water off the bank.

Studies have shown that bass are not totally alike. Some bass will swim in their own "milk run" of one or two miles; others will hang around an area.

If you think the bass should be holding to some structure and you don't get a bite, pull back and fish deeper.

Maybe yes and maybe no, but the bass are still in the area with the structure.

[smr_hga]

Hey guys, I want to add to this thread.

When the bass pull off of an area where they have been holding they move to deeper water.

For the most part, they do not swim one, two or more miles up and down the bank.

For the most part, they are in deeper water off the bank.

Studies have shown that bass are not totally alike. Some bass will swim in their own "milk run" of one or two miles; others will hang around an area.

If you think the bass should be holding to some structure and you don't get a bite, pull back and fish deeper.

Maybe yes and maybe no, but the bass are still in the area with the structure.

Ok i should probably mention that my pond is only about 4 acres and there are no other bodies of water connecting to it (such as a stream).

[Choporoz]

Your title reminds me of this study:

http://www.seafwa.org/resource/dynamic/private/PDF/GILLILAND-144-149.pdf

 

It isn't going to tell you much about your pond.  AND, it doesn't really talk to the title question so much, since the bass in the study were 'unnaturally' moved.  But, it does track tagged bass for years and every time I read it, I am astonished by the two that made it 12 km in two weeks. 

 

So...I guess some put down roots and might become territorial...others appear to be serious travelers...but, I suppose even the travelers might become territorial when they find what they're looking for.

 

Oh...and maybe the most important thing to take away is don't ignore the areas around tourny weigh-ins.

[Catt]

I'm not sure territorial is the proper word for what y'all are trying to say.

By difinition territorial (adjective) is used to describd animals that try to keep others away from an area they use.

It is very common to see bass of the same year class occupy the same area, structure, or cover.

I refer y'all to Glen Lau's videos Bigmouth & Bigmouth Forever!

[J Francho]

I'm not sure territorial is the proper word for what y'all are trying to say.

By difinition territorial (adjective) is used to describd animals that try to keep others away from an area they use.

It is very common to see bass of the same year class occupy the same area, structure, or cover.

I refer y'all to Glen Lau's videos Bigmouth & Bigmouth Forever!

 

Thank you!  That's what I was trying to say earlier...the spawn is a time males get territorial.  Sedentary is not the same.