Spawn cold fronts

[TriStateBassin106]

We're getting colder weather and rain here in NJ right now. Last few days the temps haven't peaked 60 to 63 degrees and night temps have been in the mid 40s with plenty of rain, went yesterday to my fishbowl pond and any beds I remember seeing last week when the temps were in the 70s are out of sight because of the water level being higher, what do the bass do in this situation? Do the spawners go up to the now half flooded cover like bushes or do they retreat to deeper water? How should I fish this situation? 

[Fred Allen]

Im having same troubles here in NY. I was catching them like crazy a month ago when it was 60s-70s 3 days a week. But now its been 30-40s nights and 50 max in the day with rain rain rain. Went out this week and the fish were not biting at all. It sucks because the bad weather.

[Bird]

Yep, same here in western VA. 

We just got 2" of cold rain last night and 80 today and 50* tomorrow. 

I'm more confused than the Bass.

[softwateronly]

Same boat as everyone else weather wise.  The lake I fish the most is only 250acres, but the North end warms much faster, wide shallow creek/marsh dumps in there.  North end was on the beds Sunday, while the South end was a definite prespawn staging situation.  If I can't get them in the deep water near the flats on the South end on jigs and swimbaits Friday I'm not sure where to go next. 

 

scott

[TriStateBassin106]

36 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

Same boat as everyone else weather wise.  The lake I fish the most is only 250acres, but the North end warms much faster, wide shallow creek/marsh dumps in there.  North end was on the beds Sunday, while the South end was a definite prespawn staging situation.  If I can't get them in the deep water near the flats on the South end on jigs and swimbaits Friday I'm not sure where to go next. 

 

scott

When the temps dive like this I always wondered if the bedding fish that recieved eggs either retreat to deeper water or hold the fort until the water warms. 

[jtharris3]

 

 

4 hours ago, Fred Allen said:

Im having same troubles here in NY. I was catching them like crazy a month ago when it was 60s-70s 3 days a week. But now its been 30-40s nights and 50 max in the day with rain rain rain. Went out this week and the fish were not biting at all. It sucks because the bad weather.

 

3 hours ago, Bird said:

Yep, same here in western VA. 

We just got 2" of cold rain last night and 80 today and 50* tomorrow. 

I'm more confused than the Bass.

We're seeing the same thing here in S.E. Michigan. Come back, warm weather!!

[TcRoc]

Crazy spring here in the east for sure.. May 6th and I’m on my deck with a winter coat this morning with my cup of coffee. Temps are stupid all over the place. Has me a bit confused as well and agitated I still live here lol. 

[softwateronly]

7 hours ago, TriStateBassin106 said:

When the temps dive like this I always wondered if the bedding fish that recieved eggs either retreat to deeper water or hold the fort until the water warms. 

 

27 minutes ago, TcRoc said:

Crazy spring here in the east for sure.. May 6th and I’m on my deck with a winter coat this morning with my cup of coffee. Temps are stupid all over the place. Has me a bit confused as well and agitated I still live here lol. 

 

This is pretty new for me as well and don't know the answers.  I feel like the bed fish will stay bed fish.  Guarding eggs that might not hatch.  I'm not a fan of fishing for small bucks guarding nests, so I'm going to ignore them.  

 

I think the females that spawned out are in the deep water recovery mode.  My guess is that they stay relatively lock jaw until the next prime feeding opportunity.

 

I think the staging females are the most predictable right now and most willing to be active.  So I'm gonna start by throwing to the staging areas I've had success at before.  

 

In SW Michigan it looks like the weather doesn't get out of nighttime lows in the 30's till 5/12 and the new moon is the 11th.  My guess is that there's an epic, extended feeding period starting mid to late next week in which all the females are actively chasing. 

 

scott 

[A-Jay]

11 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

 

 

This is pretty new for me as well and don't know the answers.  I feel like the bed fish will stay bed fish.  Guarding eggs that might not hatch.  I'm not a fan of fishing for small bucks guarding nests, so I'm going to ignore them.  

 

I think the females that spawned out are in the deep water recovery mode.  My guess is that they stay relatively lock jaw until the next prime feeding opportunity.

 

I think the staging females are the most predictable right now and most willing to be active.  So I'm gonna start by throwing to the staging areas I've had success at before.  

 

In SW Michigan it looks like the weather doesn't get out of nighttime lows in the 30's till 5/12 and the new moon is the 11th.  My guess is that there's an epic, extended feeding period starting mid to late next week in which all the females are actively chasing. 

 

scott 

I hope you're right Scott ~

Because it's been epically Brutal up to this point !

?

A-Jay

[BigAngus752]

Don't worry about "spawners".  There are fish in your water in every stage of the spawn right now.  I would suggest that you just look at it like any other drop in water temps.  If you were on fish before, they may be a little deeper now.  The "circle" around them where they will move to grab a lure may be smaller.  They may be holding tighter to cover (especially cover that holds heat).  However, if your water has gone up the bass may move even shallower, especially following your next sunny day.  Just like any other cold front you may have to slow down your presentation.  It's still spring, they still know what season it is, the spawn will continue regardless, and you can still catch them.  I went through this a couple weeks ago and it was tougher to catch fish but I still found some.  

[softwateronly]

10 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I hope you're right Scott ~

Because it's been epically Brutal up to this point !

?

A-Jay

I'd love to be right too!  My fishing time is about to take a massive hit starting 5/14 till July.  I'm targeting 12,13 as my last gasp till mid summer.  I'll take luck, not picky at all.

 

scott

[TheBasslayer]

9 hours ago, jtharris3 said:

 

 

 

We're seeing the same thing here in S.E. Michigan. Come back, warm weather!!

Same with Southwest Michigan, although It's slowly warming up every few days. Hopefully it gets back to the 60s soon!

[TriStateBassin106]

15 hours ago, softwateronly said:

 

 

This is pretty new for me as well and don't know the answers.  I feel like the bed fish will stay bed fish.  Guarding eggs that might not hatch.  I'm not a fan of fishing for small bucks guarding nests, so I'm going to ignore them.  

 

I think the females that spawned out are in the deep water recovery mode.  My guess is that they stay relatively lock jaw until the next prime feeding opportunity.

 

I think the staging females are the most predictable right now and most willing to be active.  So I'm gonna start by throwing to the staging areas I've had success at before.  

 

In SW Michigan it looks like the weather doesn't get out of nighttime lows in the 30's till 5/12 and the new moon is the 11th.  My guess is that there's an epic, extended feeding period starting mid to late next week in which all the females are actively chasing. 

 

scott 

What would be some good baits for the staging females? I tried again today and simply couldn't get any bites, temps are supposed to stay in the 60s before finally reaching the 70s again next week. 

[softwateronly]

9 hours ago, TriStateBassin106 said:

What would be some good baits for the staging females? I tried again today and simply couldn't get any bites, temps are supposed to stay in the 60s before finally reaching the 70s again next week. 

So this is the lake I fish most of the time and the only one I feel like 

I "know."  The water is real clear this time of year, about 18'.  The pic has the shading set to 12', so all the blue is under 12' and all the white is over.  

 

-Both sides of that little bump out on the right side have produced.  

-working the point and turn in where it says 14' in the upper left is always holding

-right where it has that right angle by the word brush shelter

-i also work the entire drop off on the right side, parallel or quarter to it.

 

Yesterday was a 1/2oz pitching jig with a rage bug and a 7" Scottsboro swimbait on a 3/4oz head.  Jig was numbers, swimbait was the bigger ones.  Got about 10-12 from this area in 3 hours yesterday, overcast, drizzle and air temp in the low 50's.

 

 

 

[lo n slo]

13 hours ago, softwateronly said:

So this is the lake I fish most of the time and the only one I feel like 

I "know."  The water is real clear this time of year, about 18'.  The pic has the shading set to 12', so all the blue is under 12' and all the white is over.  

 

-Both sides of that little bump out on the right side have produced.  

-working the point and turn in where it says 14' in the upper left is always holding

-right where it has that right angle by the word brush shelter

-i also work the entire drop off on the right side, parallel or quarter to it.

 

Yesterday was a 1/2oz pitching jig with a rage bug and a 7" Scottsboro swimbait on a 3/4oz head.  Jig was numbers, swimbait was the bigger ones.  Got about 10-12 from this area in 3 hours yesterday, overcast, drizzle and air temp in the low 50's.

 

 

 

well done ?