Dogwood Tree Watch

[Paul Roberts]

Well... this is the kind of thing I've nerded out on. But, here goes...

 

While tracking the bass spawn -closer than any sane fisher would do- I also kept note of the wild plum blossoming here. They appeared to coincide with the bass spawn, and do, but very generally. Yes, I suppose if you see X blossoms, then you can be thinking "bass spawn" -somewhere. But things get more chaotic, and less useful as a predicting tool,  the closer I looked.

 

What I found confusing, and therefore, not terribly predictive on a bush by bush and water by water basis, was that the individual plants, or groves, flowered as much as 3 weeks apart. Some of this is due to the site on which they grow, and some is apparently genetic variability. On my property I have an aspen grove. My neighbors next door have one too. I can throw a rock between them. (And sometimes I do! Those pesky neighbors! ) My grove blooms, leafs, and drops about 3 weeks later than my neighbor's does, every year. So, which groves do we follow?

 

As to the bass themselves, I found spawn timing varied too. Generally, shallow ponds spawned earlier and deeper ponds spawned later, by as much as 2+ weeks. Lakes, a good month, or even more, later. And, on ponds the same size, and right next to each other, one might start spawning as much as 10 days later than the other. This had to do with volume, topography, and aspect to direct sunlight. In the end, I found -and have continued to find- that a thermometer, properly used, is the best predictor of spawn initiation. I'm still not sure what prompts, or indicates, the end of the spawn, as I never followed that far. 

[TnRiver46]

3 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

Purrrrty

[Dave Hull]

My professor once said that when dogwood leaves were the size of squirrels ears the suckers would be running. My first lesson in Phenology. Ohio state university uses for such things as timing pesticide applications for when the pest is most venerable or has the best effect.

[Maggiesmaster]

I always heard that in Arkansas, dogwood blooming coincides with crappie spawning, then bass follow, then shell cracker, then bluegill.  

[CrankFate]

On 3/19/2021 at 10:57 PM, Dave Hull said:

My professor once said that when dogwood leaves were the size of squirrels ears the suckers would be running .My first lesson in Phenology. Ohio state university uses for such things as timing pesticide applications for when the pest is most venerable or has the best effect.

They’re running now. Just got back from the gym. Most’ll be gone by the Fourth of July ??

[TnRiver46]

Here’s the dogwood tree in my front yard............... 

water temps 53-57 nearly everywhere........

 

I call BS @Sam! 
 

our bass typically spawn in may and sometimes June but it varies from year to year. The dogwoods are much more consistent and almost always earlier than spawning bass 

[Sam]

53 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Here’s the dogwood tree in my front yard............... 

water temps 53-57 nearly everywhere........

 

I call BS @Sam! 
 

our bass typically spawn in may and sometimes June but it varies from year to year. The dogwoods are much more consistent and almost always earlier than spawning bass 

Great! Reads like your Dogwood is giving you an alarm to get ready.

 

I'll take 53 to 57 water anytime before and during the spawn.

 

Each year is a little different, but the Dogwoods always tell the truth.

 

 

[HaydenS]

Dogwoods are blooming in KC.  Drove around the city and trees with white flowers were blooming, think they're dogwoods anyway. ?‍♂️

[TnRiver46]

44 minutes ago, HaydenS said:

Dogwoods are blooming in KC.  Drove around the city and trees with white flowers were blooming, think they're dogwoods anyway. ?‍♂️

It’s possible, but the first white ones that bloom around here are Bradford pear and cherry 

22 hours ago, Sam said:

Great! Reads like your Dogwood is giving you an alarm to get ready.

 

I'll take 53 to 57 water anytime before and during the spawn.

 

Each year is a little different, but the Dogwoods always tell the truth.

 

 

They lie! Like a rug......

 

I was watching ott defoe and Jacob wheeler fishing together on YouTube, discussing past tournaments. They both were recalling a time when Hank cherry got a 10 lb bass off a bed, on chickamauga, in June during a big bass bash. And that’s two hours south of me! Dogwoods bloom earlier than bass spawn here 

[HaydenS]

That was my next guess

[CountryboyinDC]

Not sure what it means fishing-wise, but the Japanese cherry in my yard came out a couple days ago.  I know it means I better service the lawnmower, weedeater, and blower.  Dogwoods have budded, but haven't gotten any blooms around this way yet.

[Sam]

39 minutes ago, CountryboyinDC said:

Not sure what it means fishing-wise, but the Japanese cherry in my yard came out a couple days ago.  I know it means I better service the lawnmower, weedeater, and blower.  Dogwoods have budded, but haven't gotten any blooms around this way yet.

X2, same here down in Richmond.

[the reel ess]

Dogwoods are blooming in my region of SC. But we have two nights of 32 degree lows coming the next two days. All next week will be in the 70s with 56-59 degree lows. It'll be on then. One problem is the water is still so off-color some beds might be hard to spot.

[Sam]

2 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

Dogwoods are blooming in my region of SC. But we have two nights of 32 degree lows coming the next two days. All next week will be in the 70s with 56-59 degree lows. It'll be on then. One problem is the water is still so off-color some beds might be hard to spot.

Reel, if anyone can find the beds it is you!!!!

 

With the dogwoods blooming you know they are starting to get on their beds.

 

Good luck and please post some pics of the big ladies you catch.

[the reel ess]

43 minutes ago, Sam said:

Reel, if anyone can find the beds it is you!!!!

 

With the dogwoods blooming you know they are starting to get on their beds.

 

Good luck and please post some pics of the big ladies you catch.

I will if I get the chance to go. Between work, weather and chores, I haven't been able to get out as much. But I'll end up going if I have to take a couple half days off.

[TnRiver46]

On 3/25/2021 at 11:37 AM, Maggiesmaster said:

I always heard that in Arkansas, dogwood blooming coincides with crappie spawning, then bass follow, then shell cracker, then bluegill.  

That’s more similar to our timeline. We’ve got guys catching crappie full of eggs at 57 degree water right now 

[Black Hawk Basser]

It seems like the crappie bite loosely coincides with lilacs blooming here in Iowa.  I know that a couple weeks after that, bass ought to be snapping at crankbaits and other fast-moving stuff.

[snake95]

Interesting.  I just know our bass in N. GA seem to be on beds in April and protecting fry in early May.  Beyond that IDK.  

 

I had half a mind to start a separate "bass on beds" thread, but I didn't want to try to outdo Sam.

 

Do we have a bass on beds thread?

[Sam]

8 hours ago, snake95 said:

Interesting.  I just know our bass in N. GA seem to be on beds in April and protecting fry in early May.  Beyond that IDK.  

 

I had half a mind to start a separate "bass on beds" thread, but I didn't want to try to outdo Sam.

 

Do we have a bass on beds thread?

Post it!  Have fun. Outdo me. Geaux for it!

[TnRiver46]

My mom and brother are currently in wise, VA and it’s snowing 

[Sam]

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

My mom and brother are currently in wise, VA and it’s snowing 

Yep. Western VA and North Carolina are in a freeze watch and warning for tonight.

[TnRiver46]

Here’s the dogwood in my front yard a couple days ago. Poor thing froze the last 3 nights haha

[lo n slo]

we had to cover the hydrangeas last night and i just covered them again this evening. ?  gonna be putting the garden in soon, just waiting on the pecan’s to start putting on buds first. as for the dogwoods, been seeing a few bloom here and there but not alot of them.

edit: and here’s a pic of our granddaughter out by the red bud.

[Ski213]

I’ve always heard this. In my personal experience as it relates to a dogwood in my yard and a 5 acre pond on the farm it’s pretty accurate. I’m not a great bed fisherman so when the tree out front looks like a snowball I’ve missed the time when when I personally have the best chance to connect with a big one. The tree is bout 3/4 mile from the pond. 

[BassNJake]

Too much bloom watching and not enough casting around here