Will LMB spawn in current?

[12poundbass]

On my lunch break today I was watching an old Zona Live. Zona and Davey Hite were fishing a canal for LMB during the prespawn. Watching it got me thinking about my lake and areas I want to target come spring. I’m not looking to bed fish just get the big females as they come shallow. 
 

My lake is a tiny impoundment and there’s a nice long channel but that’s the inlet. The current isn’t strong but nonetheless it’s still current. Will largemouth spawn in this area if there’s plenty of other areas with no current? I have plenty of other areas on my list just wondering if this inlet channel Would be an area to check? 

[TnRiver46]

They sure will. Especially up against a log or rock close to the bank. Even cow ponds have current in East TN haha

[Paul Roberts]

What might hold them off, or is often a deciding factor, is how stable water conditions -esp temperature- are in those areas. This is why bass generally spawn in "protected" areas; Protected from wind and waves, siltation, and temperature up-wellings. Places that produce young bass get return spawners. Those that fail, not so many. 

[12poundbass]

29 minutes ago, Paul Roberts said:

What might hold them off, or is often a deciding factor, is how stable water conditions -esp temperature- are in those areas. This is why bass generally spawn in "protected" areas; Protected from wind and waves, siltation, and temperature up-wellings. Places that produce young bass get return spawners. Those that fail, not so many. 

Ok this tells me I need to focus on my other spots. The inlet gets a lot of silt, the current fluctuates based on rain of course. There are a couple of coves that offer great protection from wind, current, and siltation, so I’ll focus my efforts on them. 
 

Thanks for the input! 

[Paul Roberts]

Always worth a look. But, coves, backwaters, marinas -protected areas- may be a better bet. That said, if there is spawning substrate along the shorelines of that inlet, then maybe. I guess I'd check the inlet shorelines for spawning substrate, that they are not all deep silt and mud.

 

Nice thing about channels is that they can really pack in fish. I used to fish an inlet channel that drew a lot of bass from the lake bc it warmed quicker than the lake. Not so sure many spawned up in there, although there were smallmouth too and they'd actually run up the creek to spawn. LMs, not.

[12poundbass]

15 minutes ago, Paul Roberts said:

Always worth a look. But, coves, backwaters, marinas -protected areas- may be a better bet. That said, if there is spawning substrate along the shorelines of that inlet, then maybe. I guess I'd check the inlet shorelines for spawning substrate, that they are not all deep silt and mud.

 

Nice thing about channels is that they can really pack in fish. I used to fish an inlet channel that drew a lot of bass from the lake bc it warmed quicker than the lake. Not so sure many spawned up in there, although there were smallmouth too and they'd actually run up the creek to spawn. LMs, not.

I know the bass go in there, I’ve caught a few in there. I’ve seen a picture of a bass a kid caught out of the channel that was at least six pounds, it was post spawn though. I’m trying to locate the big prespawn mommas. 

[A-Jay]

57 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I know the bass go in there, I’ve caught a few in there. I’ve seen a picture of a bass a kid caught out of the channel that was at least six pounds, it was post spawn though. I’m trying to locate the big prespawn mommas. 

Perhaps fish the area in & around the first steep drop closest to 'the channel'.

The earlier in the season, perhaps the farther away (relative term) I'd be willing to start looking.

As the days get longer, a drop off closer may be the deal.

Cover to hang out on located on, near, or if there is not a real drop - in between, that structure could be gold.

(Think Wood if the sun's out; even if it's windy.)

If the water's clear, start deeper.

Colored water may see Grandma a little shallower.

Your water temp meter is your friend.

A-Jay

 

[Bluebasser86]

In slow current they will, but not heavy current. In either situation, they'll be looking for current breaks and spawn on the down flow side of it.

[WRB]

The way bass spawn requires no to very little current where the bed site is located. River bass take advantage of current breaks that protect the bed site from water moving too fast. Female bass drop eggs that fall down onto the cleaned bed site followed quickly or concurrently by the male bass coating the eggs with milt to fertilize them. If the water current is moving the eggs and milt don't come together resulting low to no success.

Bass that fail to spawn successfully are soon gone from the gene pool.

Tom

[12poundbass]

16 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Cover to hang out on located on, near, or if there is not a real drop - in between, that structure could be gold.

Funny you mention this. There really isn’t any real depth change that I’ve seen until you get to the main part of the lake. Last year I was pitching to some cover that was next to the the beginning of the channel and caught a nice 2.5-3 lb largemouth. I set some tip ups last winter right in front of the channel too and we got a few hammer handles. 

9 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

In slow current they will, but not heavy current. In either situation, they'll be looking for current breaks and spawn on the down flow side of it.

There isn’t heavy current at all. Even when we get heavy rains and the lake rises the current isn’t fast. 

[A-Jay]

5 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Funny you mention this. There really isn’t any real depth change that I’ve seen until you get to the main part of the lake. Last year I was pitching to some cover that was next to the the beginning of the channel and caught a nice 2.5-3 lb largemouth. I set some tip ups last winter right in front of the channel too and we got a few hammer handles. 

I am really looking forward to this season for you.

At some point you are going to have 'A Day'.

And then you are going to string a few 'Days' together, and then . . . . . . .

Just hope you don't get your arm broke !

A-Jay

[TnRiver46]

9 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

 

There isn’t heavy current at all. Even when we get heavy rains and the lake rises the current isn’t fast. 

I noticed that when I stayed on a lake up in Michigan. It was always raining but the water levels seemed to stay somewhat steady and the lake stayed pretty clear. After a good rain you can see raccoon tracks on the surface of the river here........

[12poundbass]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

I noticed that when I stayed on a lake up in Michigan. It was always raining but the water levels seemed to stay somewhat steady and the lake stayed pretty clear. After a good rain you can see raccoon tracks on the surface of the river here........

Our lake will go up, but not what I’d consider significantly. There were a couple boats launches last fall that were so flooded we couldn’t launch. That rarely happens though. 

[Paul Roberts]

On 1/17/2020 at 2:51 PM, 12poundbass said:

I know the bass go in there, I’ve caught a few in there. I’ve seen a picture of a bass a kid caught out of the channel that was at least six pounds, it was post spawn though. I’m trying to locate the big prespawn mommas. 

I break the "pre-spawn" down. Lots going on "before the spawn". The first window is what I call the initial heat-up, when the water starts taking in heat. I also call it the spring "feeding binge period", or "The Binge". First thing bass do, esp the females it appears, is to put the feedbag on. Heating shallows (both shorelines and surface) can draw fish of all types. Find cover and heat and you could find yourself in what I call a "Carnage Zone". As things shift closer to the actual spawn, spawning substrate in areas with previous spawning success, will become the draw. So... you are looking for cover, heat, prey fishes first. These may not be right at spawning locations, although having them close together helps. 

 

Your inlet sounds like a big flat. I could see that heating up as the sun gets higher, and that happens earlier than most people realize. Telemetry, and fishing, have shown that bass will start moving shallow a lot earlier than many realize, and in many waters, set up right, that movement, or migration, can be a beeline.

 

Since there is little channel left, your inlet is probably inundated by silt. This is not a great sign habitat wise. Although, if there is some sharper depth change in places, and hard cover objects like wood, the lack of habitat could actually help consolidate fish that do use the area. If the place is poor enough in habitat, few, or small, fish may use it. You'll just have to get to know it, like any other location on the lake. The fact that a 6lb female was caught during post-spawn suggests that there may be some spawning habitat in there. Good luck exploring. Sounds fun.

[12poundbass]

39 minutes ago, Paul Roberts said:

Since there is little channel left, your inlet is probably inundated by silt.

It’s as if you been here. The silt problem is pretty bad. The association has had a a dredge company out the past three or four years After Labor Day (2019 was the last year for the dredging) doing the channel in sections because it got so shallow.