Dogwood Tree Watch

[Sam]

OK gang, the time for the Dogwood Tree Watch has arrived with Daylight Savings Time.

 

For our new members, when the Dogwood Trees bloom the bass are on their beds.

 

Don't' get the Dogwoods confused with the Cherry Blossoms. Cherry Blossoms usually bloom first but they are no match for the Dogwoods.

 

Dogwoods have either white or pink flowers, as shown below.

 

So keep an eye on any Dogwoods in your geographical area and you will know when they bloom the bass are on their beds.

 

         

[TnRiver46]

We’ve got redbuds and willows blooming so far 

[Sam]

14 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

We’ve got redbuds and willows blooming so far 

Look for the Dogwood Trees.  Your Dogwoods should bloom before ours do.

[Jigfishn10]

I knew this thread would start up again. ?

We have a bit of time yet but I’ll be looking.

Thanks for the reminder @Sam

[Crappiebasser]

Ours bloomed 2 weeks ago. I haven’t seen any on bed yet but caught a lot of red tailed males. The week days were great but way too many weekend warriors yesterday and today for me to get out. I’ll be back at it in the morning.

[Johnbt]

And don't confuse dogwoods with the shadbush trees that flower in March and early April in eastern Virginia. Shadbush, aka serviceberry.

Fwiw, it seems that what used to be mostly seen off the road in the woods is now being grown by some for yard decoration.

 

[Spankey]

In PA when the Dogwoods bloom its prime spring turkey time. I’ll be out. Wild Turkey seasoned and done in a brown & serve bag in the oven is good stuff. 

[TnRiver46]

13 hours ago, Sam said:

Look for the Dogwood Trees.  Your Dogwoods should bloom before ours do.

They haven’t quite started. Saw some red maples blooming today and of course the pear trees are all white with blooms 

11 hours ago, Johnbt said:

And don't confuse dogwoods with the shadbush trees that flower in March and early April in eastern Virginia. Shadbush, aka serviceberry.

Fwiw, it seems that what used to be mostly seen off the road in the woods is now being grown by some for yard decoration.

 

My mom says she has a service berry in her landscaping but it sure looks like privet to me, I think somebody tricked her! Haha

[lo n slo]

On 3/14/2021 at 9:44 AM, TnRiver46 said:

We’ve got redbuds and willows blooming so far 

our redbud is just now beginning to open up and it’s beautiful 

[scaleface]

When I was little there were these little wild yellow flowers beside the house and they bloomed the same time large river crappie were moving from the Mississippi river to the backwaters .  When they appeared I'd tell Dad its time to go .

[Randy Price]

Here in N. IL my buddy says when the lilac's start blooming that crappies are biting.

[Bankc]

There are a bunch of dogwoods lined up on the road on my way to work.  They're hard to miss.  So far, nada.  

 

Also, I was outside working in my garden a few days ago and noticed everything seemed about a month behind usual.  We just had a severe cold snap a few weeks ago, and that might have played an effect on everything.  Plus it's been really dry all winter.  So it's possible the fish react to spring faster than the plants around here.  

[TnRiver46]

59 minutes ago, Bankc said:

There are a bunch of dogwoods lined up on the road on my way to work.  They're hard to miss.  So far, nada.  

 

Also, I was outside working in my garden a few days ago and noticed everything seemed about a month behind usual.  We just had a severe cold snap a few weeks ago, and that might have played an effect on everything.  Plus it's been really dry all winter.  So it's possible the fish react to spring faster than the plants around here.  

Dry all winter? That’s something I’ve never experienced 

[GaryH]

On 3/14/2021 at 12:44 PM, Spankey said:

In PA when the Dogwoods bloom its prime spring turkey time. I’ll be out. Wild Turkey seasoned and done in a brown & serve bag in the oven is good stuff. 

Hunt until noon and then in the boat for bass till dark. 

1 hour ago, Bankc said:

There are a bunch of dogwoods lined up on the road on my way to work.  They're hard to miss.  So far, nada.  

 

Also, I was outside working in my garden a few days ago and noticed everything seemed about a month behind usual.  We just had a severe cold snap a few weeks ago, and that might have played an effect on everything.  Plus it's been really dry all winter.  So it's possible the fish react to spring faster than the plants around here.  

Heck we just had snow again yesterday... 

please spring please

[Spankey]

4 hours ago, GaryH said:

Hunt until noon and then in the boat for bass till dark. 

Heck we just had snow again yesterday... 

please spring please

Afternoon till almost dark. Mountain trout fishing. I love my bass fishing make no doubt about that. But I have a love for stream trout fishing. Stocked, wild or native Brookies. To me there is a different solitude to trout fishing. But I make a different type of connection while out on the boat searching for Mr. Brown Bass or Mr. Greenjeans. Admittedly I’m not the most religious guy on here but a man has to connect somehow. 

[GaryH]

1 hour ago, Spankey said:

Afternoon till almost dark. Mountain trout fishing. I love my bass fishing make no doubt about that. But I have a love for stream trout fishing. Stocked, wild or native Brookies. To me there is a different solitude to trout fishing. But I make a different type of connection while out on the boat searching for Mr. Brown Bass or Mr. Greenjeans. Admittedly I’m not the most religious guy on here but a man has to connect somehow. 

I agree Spankey. The solitude of a mountain stream is awesome. 

[soflabasser]

I have fished in several mountain streams, it is nice but I much rather fish in South Florida. There are plants with flowers every single day of the year so I do not have to wait until Spring to see plants flowering. 

[Way north bass guy]

Sadly, I think it’s gonna be a bit longer before we see any blooms on ours. 

[Slovenianfisher]

Here in New York dogwood bloom means Blackfish.

[TnRiver46]

Magnolias blooming and look what’s coming out of the fish.............

 

this thread is yet another reminder to me that we as anglers (collectively) put WAY too much emphasis on when fish are spawning. It’s all you ever hear about months before it starts and moths after it’s over. Pre spawn, spawn, and post spawn........ well that makes up an entire year. Should we try to focus on places that fish eat instead of where they breed??? There’s 365 days in a year and fish spawn for 1 or maybe 2. Change your focus fellas!!! You can catch bass any time of year, quit worrying so much about their nests

[Bigassbass]

I have always heard dogwood bloom means crappie are bedding, then brim, then finally bass, water temps would be better to watch.  In N.C. we have such a up and down weather and temp swing tree blooms are confused.  Tonight we'll have a frost and freeze if the wind doesn't blow cause it's getting down to 32 chilly for the first day of spring!

[Bankc]

Dogwoods are in bloom in OKC!  Don't know if the bass are bedding.  It's too windy for my kayak.

[Way north bass guy]

I agree with @TnRiver46. Up here, our bass season for the most part doesn’t open until after they’ve done spawning, and we can’t fish for them in most areas when the seasons closed. Not the end of the world, cause there’s way to many other species that are open to worry about it. And no matter what the conditions are or the time of year it is, there is ALWAYS something that’s eating, somewhere in the lake. 

[N Florida Mike]

For us it’s when Azaleas are blooming. Which is right now. Caught 1 off a bed the other day . I noticed this  when I was in my 20s, and have seen it many times since.

[N Florida Mike]