Spawn/size age?

[Ted]

I've been wondering; what is the minimum age/size that a female LMB has to reach for reproduction capability?

[Gatorbassman]

Wow, Great question. I will do some research.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Don't hold me to it ...... but I think I have read some place 3 to 4 years.  I'll do some research as well.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

I found this on the Maine Wildlife Department for Smallmouths:

Male smallmouth bass mature at 3 to 4 years of age, while female bass mature by age 4 or 5. Size at maturity ranges from 8 to 12 inches. Male bass usually mature at a smaller average length than females.

Still looking for largemouth.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Found this on the Mass. Wildlife Department's website:

Maturation in largemouth is correlated with length of growing season, and ranges from maturity at age one in southern latitudes to age three or four in northern areas.

[Gatorbassman]

KU, That's exactly what I found. Very interesting isn't it.

[basser89]

KU, that's the same info I found on the LM and SM. My info is from ON, Canada region.

[basser89]

Ok, here's some info from the south. According to the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center, largemouth will spawn at one year old as long as they are 10".

[Gatorbassman]

Ok, here's some info from the south. According to the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center, largemouth will spawn at one year old as long as they are 10".

Is that the male or female. Or does it matter.

[nwgabassmaster]

Yea, that information is interesting.  

I would like to know something, and I guess that if I get the chance to call the DNR here in Georgia, I will find out what I want to know.  LOL

At the state park that I fish, I have caught bass as small as 7" on beds.  I doubt that they had the capability to spawn, but I wonder if instinct drives them to go through the motions?

For crappies, have seen crappies that are 5" long full of eggs.  There is a pond that used to be slap full of 5-7" crappies.  You could go fishing with ANY jig color and you would walk away with 100 crappie for your efforts.

[basser89]

Ok, here's some info from the south. According to the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center, largemouth will spawn at one year old as long as they are 10".

Is that the male or female. Or does it matter.

That's all the site said.  :-/   My guess would be male.

[KenDammit28]

i don't think that sexual maturity in largemouth is a very concrete thing.  You can look around and find many different types of answers because largemouth are present in a vast span of climates.  I've heard that bass can be sexually mature at 7-8" and some say 2-5 years.  Theres a huge difference in size of those fish as in the south a fish can be 7" in a year, while in the north a fish would probably take about 2 years to grow that big.  a 2 year old fish would probably be around 15 inches.  

[KenDammit28]

oh, I just read a West Virginia biology report that states females reach maturity at approx. 9 inches in length while males can become mature at a somewhat smaller size.  

[fishinfool]

Ok, here's some info from the south. According to the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center, largemouth will spawn at one year old as long as they are 10".

hey basser89, isn't that why all the women move down south???      sorry ya'll, i had to say it!