spawning depth

[Luke at Gouldsboro]

Just wondering at what depth/depth do the bass spaw in your local lakes? do spawning depths differentiate around the country (NE, SE, MW, W) or are they all pretty similar?

[J Francho]

Dictated by water clarity, bottom contour, and water level.

[Wayne P.]

I was sight fishing in muddy water last year using Side Imaging. Most of the bass I caught that way were in the 5'-6' depth range. The water visibilty was less than 6".

Some of the bass in the same lake were spawing in less than 1'.

The temperature of the bottom has the most influence on the spawning depth. I use a remote sensor temp guage to determine the pattern before looking with my electronics or using sight (if I can).

[Gatorbassman]

I've seen them spawn with their backs out of the water and I've seen them spawn 15ft deep. It all depends on water temp, clarity, how hard the bottom is, and sometimes cover.

[ww2farmer]

I have seen beds on the same lake, on the same day, within a 100 yard radius, where they will be on the bank, all the way out to 12'-13', and at various depths in-between.

[Getfished]

I believe there are a whole lot more spawning beds out there deeper that you can't see than there are that you can see. Sunlight penetration, wave protection, and temp will usually be the deciding factors.

[Blue Streak]

I look at bass more as individuals and not as a group. Not all of them do the same thing at the same time they seem to have habits and "personalities" all their own. There are certain things such as temp and light penetration  and wind that influence them, but in the end they will each do their own thing. If all of the bass beds are the ones I can see I think the species is doomed for extinction, there has to be ten times that many in deeper water.

[mr.mallard]

they spawn where ever the hell they feel like it. i have no doubt some spawn real deep. it just wherever they want to..

[WRB]

The male determines where the bed site is located, the female chooses the beds it drops it's eggs.

Shallow warm water beds are subject to more egg eating predators than deeper beds. Warmer shallower beds hatch eggs faster, deeper cooler water beds have much slower hatch times.

Lakes that have swings in water level during the spawning season, the deeper beds tend have higher success rates.

Out west bed sites vary from 1 to 25 feet with about 3 cycles lasting 2 months on average.