Behaviors of spawning big bass?

[Mr. Aquarium]

I’ve always heard that the bigger bass spawn earlier.

How true is this?

 How do you target these bigger bass during the prespawn. Structure and cover to look for?   I  fish a lot of big swimbaits. 
 What water temps Do they spawn at?   I know that moon sunlight and water temps play a role into the spawn of bass. 
 

my buddy caught a giant 8.12 largemouth last April in Massachusetts that was spawned out. Water couldn’t have been more then 60!  
 

am I over thinking it? Just fish for pre spawn fish like you normally would but just fish bigger baits to get bigger bites?  I fish a lot of jigs and swimbaits 

[WRB]

1 hour ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I’ve always heard that the bigger bass spawn earlier.

How true is this?

 How do you target these bigger bass during the prespawn. Structure and cover to look for?   I  fish a lot of big swimbaits. 
 What water temps Do they spawn at?   I know that moon sunlight and water temps play a role into the spawn of bass. 
 

my buddy caught a giant 8.12 largemouth last April in Massachusetts that was spawned out. Water couldn’t have been more then 60!  
 

am I over thinking it? Just fish for pre spawn fish like you normally would but just fish bigger baits to get bigger bites?  I fish a lot of jigs and swimbaits 

Start by looking up my Cosmic Clock and Bass Calendar. 

Northern strain LMB start to go up on beds around 62 degrees at the depth of water beds are in and the majority are done around 67 degrees. Always early birds and later gators in nature.

The biggest bass in the lake spawns when she is ready, usually earlier in the cycle and little deeper water for her comfort zone.

Pre spawn can be up to 2 months before bedding and the egg laying cycle can go on for up to 3 cycles ove a 2 month period depending on lots of factors like weather and water level fluctuations. 

Tom

[Mr. Aquarium]

42 minutes ago, WRB said:

Start by looking up my Cosmic Clock and Bass Calendar. 

Northern strain LMB start to go up on beds around 62 degrees at the depth of water beds are in and the majority are done around 67 degrees. Always early birds and later gators in nature.

The biggest bass in the lake spawns when she is ready, usually earlier in the cycle and little deeper water for her comfort zone.

Pre spawn canbe up to 2 months before bedding and the egg laying cycle can go on for up to 3 cycles ove a 2 month period depending on lots of factors like weather and water level fluctuations. 

Tom

Wow 2 month pre spawn. It makes sense . Some winters we are open water fishing in February but water temps don’t warm up until May.  We have wild weather in the spring. Lot of rain. Some time snow. All depends on how winter is. Warm dry winter, crappy rainy cool spring. Cold snowy winter beautiful spring. 

[Bird]

I prefer pre-spawn over any other time.

 

They move up way sooner than one might think but can be lethargic. 

UNLESS you throw heavy jigs in there face. Lol

[papajoe222]

I echo what Tom said about when and where and I'll add that their beds will often be protected on three sides by cover, or terrain. For that reason sight fishing in many lakes, with abundant cover, is futile.  Your best chances for really big fish are late winter and early pre-spawn. You could 'luck' into catching one then, but do a little homework now on the lake you intend to target and a lot on bass behavior and activity during that period and you'll really up your chances.

[Catt]

Quite looking at calendars/clocks & get outdoors!

 

Pre-spawn starts long before many anglers believe.

 

It is believed that bass move into the shallow spawning areas as pre-spawn starts & this is true. But understand there are resident bass already in the shallows & these bass start pre-spawn first.

 

The whole pre-spawn/spawn takes place in waves overs a period of months.

 

Down here pre-spawn starts in late January - early February with the spawn starting around the end of March & can continue into May.

Edited December 19, 2019 by Catt
Operator Error

[Catt]

@Mr. Aquarium what ya need to understand is your body of water.

 

Depending on the size of a body of water there are resident bass that live within a certain distance from the shoreline year round. There are also a resident population that live farther offshore.

 

With that in mind which resident bass do you think will be the first to move into pre-spawn areas?

 

It's the same thing during the fall when it's said, "the bass move to the backs of creeks to feed on shad." 

 

Again which of the two resident populations do you think gorge on shad first?

 

Not all bass are doing the same thing at the same time!

[Mr. Aquarium]

11 minutes ago, Catt said:

@Mr. Aquarium what ya need to understand is your body of water.

 

Depending on the size of a body of water there are resident bass that live within a certain distance from the shoreline year round. There are also a resident population that live farther offshore.

 

With that in mind which resident bass do you think will be the first to move into pre-spawn areas?

 

It's the same thing during the fall when it's said, "the bass move to the backs of creeks to feed on shad." 

 

Again which of the two resident populations do you think gorge on shad first?

 

Not all bass are doing the same thing at the same time!

I live in Massachusetts no shad we have river herring but only in spring.  But I’m strictly talking about just the larger bass not the average bass. 

[Catt]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I live in Massachusetts no shad we have river herring but only in spring.  But I’m strictly talking about just the larger bass not the average bass. 

 

Your largest bass will always start pre-spawn/spawn first!

 

They are the dominant of the species & will be located in the "prime" areas. 

[BassNJake]

I have caught all my largest bass near the spawn right where the water loses clarity.

Sure I've caught quality fish on beds up shallow

However, in my experience my biggest have come where you lose sight of the bottom

I also think that they spawn deeper the earlier it is in the cycle.

I rarely see shallow beds first. If I do, I missed a large portion of the spawning cycle IMO.

 

 

[WRB]

The biggest bass aren't virgin spawners they are older adult bass that survived being caught or killed. These big special fish are wary during pre spawn and up until the need to procreate by laying thier eggs will they abandon thier survival instincts and move up into areas nominally avoided. Man isn't the only predator these bass must aviod so shallow open water areas where the bass is vulnerable to predators these big bass don't stay long, they move up and lay a batch of eggs and return back to where they feel safe. Most big females lay eggs more then once and in more then one bed site, natures way to aviod putting all the eggs in one basket increasing recruitment odds.

Pre spawn is when these big bass are feeding, when they move to spawn food isn't a priority. It's pre spawn when big bass are at thier heavist weight and catchable. If you want to catch them spend as much time in stagging areas as possible using high percentage lures that represent the prey big bass are looking for. Crawdads and larger size baitfish fill the need for high protein meals.

Staging areas are deeper water holding places near the spawning area. Find the spawning area then look for deeper places with lots of prey sources.

Deeper and nearby is relative to the body of water.

Plan on doing more scouting looking for bass the 1st day then fishing.

It's important to get the lakes rythym or activity periods and locate fish and/or prey before slowing down and fishing for these special bass. Plan to fish at least 3 days in row during pre spawn to get dailed in.

Good luck,

Tom

[928JLH]

Here in AZ the big big girls tend to spawn February. Water is low 60s usually. They tend to spawn deeper on the drop offs before the spawning flats. Try a Biffle bug on a swing head. That thing was awesome. You can cover tons of water shallow to deep and hit possible beds that are too far down to see. The scurrying action drives them nuts too.