First bed fish spotted.

[Derek1]

I was kind of surprised to see it. I didn’t think the water had warmed up that much yet and it been cold and rainy for the past two weeks. The place hadn’t really turned on yet either. It was just one I’m hoping he is just really early. I’ve caught several fish there, but only cause I go allot it’s pretty random a few on this one day, a few on something else another. The water is also a little dirtier than usual with all the rain. I guess the next few days will tell. 

[Largies4Life]

What state are we talking?

[J Francho]

I highly doubt they are on beds right now.  Probably just up shallow eating.  Water temps in NY haven't broken out of the 40s.

[Choporoz]

4 hours ago, Derek1 said:

First bed fish spotted.

I've been fishing for bass for almost ten years.  I have NEVER seen a bass on a bed.

 

In a way, I'm sort of glad.  I watch vids of pros who spend an hour just trying to tick off a fish enough to pick up (and move) a bait...and just shake my head...I get it...but I don't ever want to be tempted to do it...just doesn't seem like 'fishing' to me

[RichF]

I saw quite a few bass on the Occoquan Res that appeared to be either spawning or getting ready to.  They were super shallow.  I even saw some with their tails out of the water.  The ones I saw looked like males.  They were chasing off bluegill but didn't look like they had made an actual bed.  My guess is they just staked out the area they will nest on.  Oh and they didn't bite anything either.

[nascar2428]

25 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

I've been fishing for bass for almost ten years.  I have NEVER seen a bass on a bed.

 

In a way, I'm sort of glad.  I watch vids of pros who spend an hour just trying to tick off a fish enough to pick up (and move) a bait...and just shake my head...I get it...but I don't ever want to be tempted to do it...just doesn't seem like 'fishing' to me

When you make the decision to bed fish, you know up front that there will be a lot of fishing with very little catching.

[Ksam1234]

42 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I highly doubt they are on beds right now.  Probably just up shallow eating.  Water temps in NY haven't broken out of the 40s.

Almost there ! Lol. Was 48.8 degrees ... yay ?

[PhishLI]

51 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I highly doubt they are on beds right now.  Probably just up shallow eating.  Water temps in NY haven't broken out of the 40s.

I waded a local spot in LI on Saturday morning. It feeds out to the ocean. I'd never seen it so clear. The heavy rains from Friday must've replaced a considerable measure of it's volume. Anyway, I saw males on beds. They left the beds when the saw me. If I stayed still for a few minutes they came back. It's on for sure in this spot, even with the cold water. I tried to take a picture of it. Didn't come out well. The bed is on the lower left corner of the pic. 

[J Francho]

Water temps have to be around 62 for spawning activity to start.  64-68 is optimal.

[NYWayfarer]

Yeah, it's pre-pre-spawn up here. I just saw my first pond LMB last week.

[J Francho]

Way pre-spawn, lol.  I'm hoping th ecolder weather prolongs that period where they're shallow, and chewing on anything.  I'm sick of the the flip the switch, and they are deep one day, then hot weather, and on beds the next day, and it's all over in a blink of an eye.

[PhishLI]

8 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Water temps have to be around 62 for spawning activity to start.  64-68 is optimal.

Maybe they're just practicing then? I talked to a kid on Friday who fishes there. He showed me a bed where he caught a bass earlier. He felt bad about it. He's honest when he gets skunked, so I don't think he was lying. I know what I saw. That spot in the pic is near the shore. The bottom is covered in a mat of leaves normally. This spot is a perfect circle cleared down to soil with a bass on it.

[Choporoz]

1 hour ago, RichF said:

I saw quite a few bass on the Occoquan Res that appeared to be either spawning or getting ready to.  They were super shallow.  I even saw some with their tails out of the water.  The ones I saw looked like males.  They were chasing off bluegill but didn't look like they had made an actual bed.  My guess is they just staked out the area they will nest on.  Oh and they didn't bite anything either.

Nice.  I haven't been on the Rez but once or twice this year, I think.  Most springs, that body of water is way too dirty to see beds....or so I assumed...so I've just stopped looking for them. 

[Black Hawk Basser]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

Way pre-spawn, lol.  I'm hoping th ecolder weather prolongs that period where they're shallow, and chewing on anything.  I'm sick of the the flip the switch, and they are deep one day, then hot weather, and on beds the next day, and it's all over in a blink of an eye.

I'm hoping for prolonged colder weather than normal here, I have some vacation days in mid May and I really hope the big mamas arent on beds and tight lipped!

[Derek1]

I’m in mass, the water temp with a casted out pool thermometer was 58. It was a fanned off spot down to sand and he has been  sitting on it for two days now I’m guessing he’s making a bed. It was the only one I’ve seen, he wasn’t biting anything either. The water was warmer then I thought. I only let the thermometer sit for about ten mins that might not have been long enough. There for three hours today caught one dink. I’m hoping to catch the feed up for the spawn. 

[Jleebesaw]

6 hours ago, J Francho said:

I highly doubt they are on beds right now.  Probably just up shallow eating.  Water temps in NY haven't broken out of the 40s.

Black lake had 57 degrees last Thursday. I thought my lowrance was wrong. 2 different units on my boat showed the same thing though. Then at the boat launch, another guy asked me what my unit showed for temp. He thought the same thing. 

   Black lake is fed by a shallow river and the lake is mostly shallow. There is a lot of vegetation[currently mostly dead] and stained water.

[Bluebasser86]

Saw some on beds the last week or so. I don't really care to fish for them and to me, beds just mean that harder fishing is soon to come.