Spawn time = yawn time. I hate the spawn....... there, I said it.

[Jon Morris]

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[Jon Morris]

It might seem crazy to anyone else, but I HATE the spawning period. Now I live in the Pittsburgh area and don't own a boat so my experiences are probably very different from many of yours but spawn time is yawn time for me.

 

Without a boat I can't target beds (illegal in PA anyway), and spawning bass in this area have absolutely no want to feed on anything not laying in the middle of their spawning bed.

 

I always hear guys getting excited for this time of year.

 

Me?

 

Besides the absolute dead of winter the spawn is the worst time of year for bassing IMO.

[WRB]

Target pre spawn bass, they are in the same areas or nearby points. Spawn period is broken down into 3 stages; pre, post and spawning bed fish. If you avoid the spawn you are missing out on some of the best bass fish all year.

Tom

PS, you said this twice!

[Gundog]

11 minutes ago, Jon Morris said:

 

 

Without a boat I can't target beds (illegal in PA anyway),  

 

 

I think you may be wrong on this. I can't find anything in the rule book that states that you can't target beds. You do have to immediately release any bass caught between April 16 and June 17. But as far as not being able to target spawning beds, I don't see that in the regs.

[Catt]

Dogday of summer at night

[J Francho]

1 hour ago, Gundog said:

I think you may be wrong on this. I can't find anything in the rule book that states that you can't target beds. You do have to immediately release any bass caught between April 16 and June 17. But as far as not being able to target spawning beds, I don't see that in the regs.

 

Check the special regs for the Susky.  Perhaps that's what he's referring to.

 

The prespawn, spawn, and post spawn are where I see the greatest concentration of fish accessible from shore spots.  They are catchable in all phases.

[sully420]

2 hours ago, Jon Morris said:

It might seem crazy to anyone else, but I HATE the spawning period. Now I live in the Pittsburgh area and don't own a boat so my experiences are probably very different from many of yours but spawn time is yawn time for me.

 

Without a boat I can't target beds (illegal in PA anyway), and spawning bass in this area have absolutely no want to feed on anything not laying in the middle of their spawning bed.

 

I always hear guys getting excited for this time of year.

 

Me?

 

Besides the absolute dead of winter the spawn is the worst time of year for bassing IMO.

It might help if you try not to even worry about seeing fish or finding them on beds and just fish and cover as much water as you can from the bank and you should be able to find plenty of biters in some faze  of pre or post spawn. 

[MassYak85]

At any given point not all the bass will be in the same group. Some will be spawn, some will be pre-spawn, and some will be postspawn. If you can't catch spawning bass try targeting some of the other groups. 

[Fish the Mitt]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

Dogday of summer at night

My absolute favorite thing to do in the summer!! I've got a special spot on a certain lake that I have a window narrowed down at (as of last year) and 20 bass in 2hrs is normal. Have yet to beat 4.5lbs out of it, but it'll happen. Consistent 3-4lbers

 

 

OP, just fish. Spawn, like many have said, happens throughout a period. So at any time, you will have different bass in all three phases. Just fish, cover water, and you'll be fine. Or, get a kayak or canoe.

[Jtrout]

?

[stk44]

1 hour ago, Jtrout said:

?

Lol

[jr231]

Spawn time=yawn time ? 

 

You're doing it wrong bud . 

 

I haven't got to get out much this season. But the spawn should be happening in my area within the next week or so. 

[WRB]

Jon, nothing wrong with expressing your opinion, lots of anglers have a hard time adjusting to seasonal period changes. So let's try another tact, how can we help you and others to catch non spawners during the spawn cycle?

Tom

[chadmack282]

7 hours ago, Catt said:

Dogday of summer at night

Is that heaven?

[Gundog]

1 hour ago, chadmack282 said:

Is that heaven?

It is for me.

8 hours ago, J Francho said:

 

Check the special regs for the Susky.  Perhaps that's what he's referring to.

 

 

Can't be. He said he lives in Pittsburgh and the Susky runs from eastern upstate NY to the Cheasapeake Bay. The special regs your talking about are only on the main branch. The west branch of the Susky has no restrictions on bass. 

[Bluebasser86]

Spawn isn't my favorite part of the year either, but I'll still be out there chasing them. 

[JustJames]

Spawning time should be the best time for shore fisherman since the bass move to shallower area. It doesn't have to be bedding bass just any bass within casting distance. The only part that I don't like is bass not in a group and not always active. I can only get one fish out of the area and move on to the next.

[TOXIC]

The spawn is special because it's the one time of year when the truly big fish are predictable and catchable.  You can catch them on their way in, on the beds, or on the way back out.  After that it's harder.  

[Catt]

6 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

The spawn is special because it's the one time of year when the truly big fish are predictable and catchable.  You can catch them on their way in, on the beds, or on the way back out.  After that it's harder.  

 

Totally disagree!

 

Summer puts em on deep water structure where they are isolated from weather patterns.

 

You can catch them on their way to feed, on the way back, or at home!

 

Problem is most anglers struggle fishing deep water structure!

[TOXIC]

Most big bass are caught from February-May as far as records go.  That's proven.  You are correct that they can be caught off deep structure but not as easy or predictable as during the spawn. There's a lot more deep water structure than most realize and it can be widely spread out. Personally, I like the dog days of summer.  I can just pattern them better.    

[scaleface]

I dont target spawning  bass because I rarely see them .Its spring I simply fish shallow .  Fish will  usually be found    shallow on points ,the first half of a cove or the rear half of a cove .  Small lakes are quicker to pattern .

[TOXIC]

If you are fishing shallow during the spawn, you are more than likely catching spawning fish whether you target them or not.  Like the old saying goes...."Fish where the fish are".  

[fishballer06]

As another Pittsburgh angler, I've got to say you're dead wrong. 

[TOXIC]

Who's wrong about what?  

[RichF]

I like pre-spawn much better.  I don't like bed fishing.  I'm not saying I don't catch them during the spawn as I'm sure it pull fish off beds while blind casting but I don't specifically sight fish bedding bass.