How can you tell when the bass are done spawning and are transitioning to post spawn?

[Brutal_boost]

I am starting to take bass fishing more seriously and I am trying to learn as much as I can. One thing I have never done is bass fish during the spawning phases. I am curious if I could get some tips on what I should have done earlier this morning. 

 

I am fishing out of a kayak for starters. Water temp was 63 degrees. I saw what appeared to be several bass beds throughout the morning fishing. I haven't ever seen a bass on a bed before but these seemed like your typical bass beds. Random circles with rock bottoms in shallow water. I never saw any bass on these beds. I got one throwing a chatter bait into lilypands early in the morning but that was all for the day. I kept to the banks most of the day skipping under docks. Saw lots of bluegill and smaller 4-5 inch bass which I am guessing are last years spawn.

 

I did paddle out and I marked what looked like bass on the fish finder. Given this is my first time using a fish finder so I could me mistaking it but they were orange/red streaks sitting on a drop off. I didn't have any lures to fish that effectively so I just moved on.

 

First things first. Does it mean that the bass on that lake are in post spawn since I saw so many beds without bass on them? Second, when I am seeing so many smaller bluegill and baby bass does that mean I should move on? If there was a good sized bass lurking around wouldn't these bait fish just move on?

 

Thanks for the help!

[WRB]

Look for Bluegill beds a tight cluster of pie plate size beds.

You should also see schools of bass fry.

Tom

[CrankFate]

I don’t know. I caught post spawns in the same lake I see most fish spawning now. @WRB says they stagger it and they obviously do. I caught the post spawn female in one place I fished today, she was eating. I caught the female first. I believe the males were protecting eggs that were beyond what I could see by their behavior. They were also viciously chasing blue gills that went past a certain point. And they were all holding their own little territory. They were chasing my baits away, but were obviously not feeding. This made it almost impossible to get them to take a little nip so I could get a treble hook into them. But after much perseverance, I got them, eventually.

[Kenny Yi]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Look for Bluegill beds a tight cluster of pie plate size beds.

You should also see schools of bass fry.

Tom

Agreed, earlier today I saw a bunch of shell beds and battling bluegills, was cool to watch their process. 

[padon]

bass dont all spawn at once. its natures way of protecting the spawn.at 63 i doubt the spawn is over probably more fish to come. i would continue to concentrte on shallow water as even the post spawn fish will hang around a little while before moving to deeper water.

[Sam]

4 hours ago, padon said:

bass dont all spawn at once. its natures way of protecting the spawn.at 63 i doubt the spawn is over probably more fish to come. i would continue to concentrte on shallow water as even the post spawn fish will hang around a little while before moving to deeper water.

X2

 

Brutal, the "spawn" can last into September as there is no official date it stops, depending on each individual body of water.

 

I have seen bass fry in Virginia's Mattaponi River in September.

 

You will see white patches on the bottom where the beds were located and are now abandoned. You can throw to these empty beds but there are no longer any bass on them.

 

And as WRB (Tom) posted, look for the bluegill beds and you will find the bass fry trying to eat the bluegill eggs.

 

I also suggest contacting the State of Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife and ask to speak to someone who knows freshwater fish and ask them about the spawn in your area. You may have to fight your way through lower echelon people who think they can help you but keep trying until you get to the specialist.

 

If the Washington Fish and Wildlife officers are like those in Virginia you should be able to speak with someone who can help you as the men and women who work in the states' fish and wildlife departments love to give out information and they are very helpful.

 

Remember, during the spawn it takes a few days for the bass that spawned to get back to normal and during this period they will not hit your baits.

 

Let us know what you find out and if you catch any bass.

[E-rude dude]

When you catch a female with a big mouth, a big head and a skinny little body.?

[the reel ess]

When you don't see a single bass on the beds they're probably done. If you never saw any, they're probably done. While the males stay shallow and guard the fry, the females move out a bit and will hang on structure and cover a little closer to deep water. This is a good time to target wood cover. But then, every time is a good time to target wood cover.

[papajoe222]

Bass on beds will leave if they see you, so they still may be in the spawn cycle. If you happen upon two bass cruising together, it's just beginning for them, but if you see a lone male on a bed the female has done her thing and is off resting. I was catching males off beds that I couldn't see in 68 degree water over this week-end.