Post The Date Of The Bass Spawn In Your Area.

[Blue Streak]

I think it would be neat to watch the wave of bass spawning from the south to the north.

If you would please post the date that the spawn happens in your water, even if it has already happened. And feel free to make any comments about it. Tell us if it is a large or small lake or pond. We are talking largemouth in this topic but it would be interesting to do the same thing in the smallmouth forum.

[Goose52]

Here on the Cumberland plateau in Tennessee (elevation about 2,000ft) I just started seeing fresh spawning beds about 4-5 days ago and saw the first bass on a bed yesterday. No actual spawning yet...but we should be getting close.

We had a short spell of surface water temps in the low 60s in early-mid March during a warm spell, then water temps went back into the 50s as a series of cold fronts came through. Just this past week, water temps have reached and stayed in the 60s and we are now having warmer nights so the water temp should start rising pretty fast now.

[Shane J]

Here in New Hampshire, the bulk of the spawn takes place throughout the month of May. It takes that long for the water in any sizable lakes to hit the mid to upper 50's.

[Midnight Splash2]

I fish a small private lake in Houston, Texas. On March 16th I started catching females with empty stomachs(70 degree water temp). On March 18th I saw the first group of fry. I didn't catch a bass after March 23rd that still had eggs.

[brushhoggin]

right now.

[zenyoungkoh]

3/25- now. In Southern California. Its a small pond with depths from 1-4'

[Hooligan]

Mid to late May, typically. We will see many of the bigger females spawn into June, as well.

[Catt]

From north Toledo Bend to the Gulf of Mexico & 75 miles either side of the Louisiana/Texas border.

Conditions this year allowed the spawn to start by the last week of February in the Toledo/Rayburn area and continue until late April along the gulf coast.

[Gatorbassman]

Here in my part of Georgia I can start catching spawning fish around the 15th of March and will find them spawning in mid July in the Savannah River below the Clarks Hill Dam.

[piscicidal]

November to early April here....

[senile1]

I've seen spawning start as early as mid-April during warmer Spring times and as late as the second or third week in May during colder Spring times. Generally, we are looking at late April to early May on 7150 acre Smithville Lake north of Kansas City.

[Paul Roberts]

Initiation runs from the third week in April well into June. Shallowest ponds go first, deepest lakes go last.

[RoLo]

The “actual spawn” is the focal point of bedding, but from the angler's standpoint

the entire “spawning season” is important: Pre-spawn, Spawn & Post-spawn.

All 3 sub-seasons offer the angler a great opportunity for a PB, but for different reasons (another topic):

In my view, the size of the lake doesn’t seem to make a material difference in timing.

It's kind of self-compensating, the greater the water area, the greater the solar gain and vice versa.

Too, there are big bays in some small lakes, and most large waters have small protected

autonomous sloughs, On the other hand, bass living in lakes with a shallow basin

supposedly spawn earlier than bass living in lakes with a deep basin.

That's apparently true in some cases, but in other cases it appears to be mostly illusory.

Since I don't place all emphasis on water temperature, that's really not contradictory.

Florida is a large state and is best subdivided into three latitudes: North - Central - South.

For instance, bass in Okeechobee are in “pre-spawn” stage as early as November,

whereas December was cited by Roland Martin as his favorite pre-spawn month on the Big-O.

The table below depicts my own experience in central Florida (1998 - 2011)

CENTRAL FLORIDA

Jan to Early Feb - - - - - - - - - Highest Trophy Potential - - - - - --- Very Slow Action

Early Feb to Mid March - - - - Very Good Trophy Potential - - - - - Fair to Good Action

Mid Mar to Late Apr - - - - - - - Good Trophy Potential - - - - - - - - Very Good Action

(MAY = Late post-spawn - Topwater bite - Great Action! - BUT bass tend to plateau at 6 lbs)

Roger

[mjones23]

Here in MD last year I was catching spawning bass the last week in march however this year I have yet to even see a single nest yet. I have come across a few small ones starting to make their way inshore though.

[bigbill]

Its sometime between mid april to the first two weeks in may. I believe when the water hits 50 degrees thats what triggers the spawn.

The weeks following when the bigger gals leave the nest there really hungry and they put on the feed bang and will hit anything but we need to catch it right.

[ww2farmer]

Depending on the year, I have seen LM on beds as early as late April, and/or as late as July. Last year was one of those early years, seen beds the last week of April, and the hight of bedding activity was early to mid May. This year things are moving along slower, seems "normal" so far. Lake has only been ice free for a week or so, dark bottom areas are still in the high 40's/low 50's with a few bass just starting to show up. In a "normal" year I'll see the first beds around the first week of May, with the rest of the month seeing alot of activity lasting into early June. You'll even see some late spawners in a "normal" year into late June.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

For Largemouth, anywhere from November to April. A lot will depend on what cold fronts roll through. I had fish on my lake starting to bed before Thanksgiving Day last year. Peacocks spawn a couple of times a year down here. All of the Largemouth have done their thing on my lake, yet there are still Peacocks that are sitting on beds without eggs or fry. It's an interesting time of the year down here.

[Blue Streak]

Do you think the cold weather, rain, and high water has delayed the spawn in your area?

[BassThumb]

Good thread. This will be interesting.

Last year at this time, the bass were beginning to spawn and the females were up on the beds. This year, the lakes are still ice cold and it's very chilly outside. There's been lots of cold rain lately and it's snowing flurries right now. I bet the spawn will be delayed be at least a full month this year. It's going to be interesting.

[agssebvtsece]

Should be started in most waters here in MA. Haven't been out in the AM or late PM to really give them a run. I'll do that later this week.

[MJB_215]

Southeastern PA it seems the bass are spawning right now. I was fishing tuesday and I seen a bunch of bass in their beds. And then I went back today and the same bass were on the same beds. I couldnt get bit on anything. The one fish took a fat ika a couple times but I missed the hook. I cant wait until they start biting again because I dont know how to approach catching these fish right now

[RLinNH]

The water temp was at 48 degrees today here in MA.