Bass spawning in ponds

[jr231]

So I had an older gentleman tell me the other day that a certain pond I fish will not allow the bass to spawn.

The bass are definitely spawning I could see yearlings in the shallows this summer. Also saw them on their beds.. and have caught many young bass and the pond is 15+ years old. 

He said that the bass cannot spawn because the pond doesn't have running water into it..  I didn't feel like arguing with the man but I knew he was wrong. What exactly was he talking about ? 

This pond is on a hill. And sloped in at all sides... also has a drain pipe... and the bass and bluegill definitely spawn!!!

[deaknh03]

Next time you see him, punch him in the ear, no questions asked.

[pawpaw]

If the pond is 15+ and you have anything but 15 year old bass in it then someone is stocking it or they are spawning. I believe the guy was probably thinking of catfish. From what I understand non scaled fish, like catfish, don't fan their beds so they need current to keep silt and muck from covering their beds. They will still spawn in still waters but from what I was told the survival rate of their eggs is very low. This is what my Grandpa taught me way back in the day. If it's true or not I don't know but It made sense to me and is what I grew up believing. Some one much smarter than me may be along soon to give us the real deal on the subject.  Bottom line though. Your bass are successfully spawning.

[jr231]

18 minutes ago, pawpaw said:

If the pond is 15+ and you have anything but 15 year old bass in it then someone is stocking it or they are spawning. I believe the guy was probably thinking of catfish. From what I understand non scaled fish, like catfish, don't fan their beds so they need current to keep silt and muck from covering their beds. They will still spawn in still waters but from what I was told the survival rate of their eggs is very low. This is what my Grandpa taught me way back in the day. If it's true or not I don't know but It made sense to me and is what I grew up believing. Some one much smarter than me may be along soon to give us the real deal on the subject.  Bottom line though. Your bass are successfully spawning.

I forgot to mention the pond is a little over 3 acres... I have access to 3 private "farm " ponds ranging from 1 acre to 4. And I believe they are all spawning because I catch young bass out of each. The 1 acre is actually over populated with small bass.. 

I was just confused on what he meant.  Because im positive in 2 of the ponds they are spawning and I'm fairly certain about the other.  And none of them have running water into the pond . 

He said "for bass to spawn in ponds, they MUST have running water IN and OUT of the pond"  in other words water flowing in and draining out.. just threw me for a loop because these bass are spawning and don't have either. 

 

[pawpaw]

He's just confused and that's fine. Next spring you can just grin and have your pick of the undisturbed bedding fish. He will eventually walk over to you and ask you how your catching so many fish. That's when you can school him.

[deaknh03]

35 minutes ago, pawpaw said:

He's just confused and that's fine. Next spring you can just grin and have your pick of the undisturbed bedding fish. He will eventually walk over to you and ask you how your catching so many fish. That's when you can punch him.

 

[pawpaw]

40 minutes ago, deaknh03 said:

He's just confused and that's fine. Next spring you can just grin and have your pick of the undisturbed bedding fish. He will eventually walk over to you and ask you how your catching so many fish. That's when you can punch him.

Ahh, fixed it for me. 

That is also an option. Haha

[the reel ess]

The pond has a no-spawning rule? And the fish obey? LOL. Well, it won't have fish for very long then. Most bass don't live past 3 lbs.

[WRB]

Some fish like trout, salmon and stripe bass need current to prevent the eggs form getting cover by silt after the eggs are laid and fertilized because unlike bass these fish don't make nest sites and care for the eggs.

Tom

 

[Paul Roberts]

43 minutes ago, WRB said:

Some fish like trout, salmon and stripe bass need current to prevent the eggs form getting cover by silt after the eggs are laid and fertilized because unlike bass these fish don't make nest sites and care for the eggs.

Tom

 

Bingo!

[jr231]

So what exactly are the requirements that bass need to spawn ? Could I dig a 100ydx20yd pond and have male and female bass in this pond and they would spawn ?  Assuming they could acclimate and have forage to eat. 

[pawpaw]

.

54 minutes ago, Yeajray231 said:

So what exactly are the requirements that bass need to spawn ? Could I dig a 100ydx20yd pond and have male and female bass in this pond and they would spawn ?  Assuming they could acclimate and have forage to eat. 

Pretty much. If the conditions were such that they could survive they should spawn.  Obviously the lake can not freeze solid and water quality must stay suitable for them and such. They would prefer some sort of hard-ish surface to make beds on but even that isn't necessarily a deal breaker for them.

[Red Bear]

On 11/12/2016 at 2:18 PM, WRB said:

Some fish like trout, salmon and stripe bass need current to prevent the eggs form getting cover by silt after the eggs are laid and fertilized because unlike bass these fish don't make nest sites and care for the eggs.

Tom

 

this