When do your lmb move up, build nest and spawn? Another member here and I were talking of spawning time here in Texas. Lakes and ponds seem to be a little different. What do you pond masters look for? And does time frame change all that much each and every year? Are we talking a month earlier or later, or just days earlier of later each year? Depending on weather! I have been told look for April, but I am seeing 72 degree surface temps now. what say u? Do the fish look for that full moon?
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Thank you for clearing things up lol. Ewest in your post on March the 6th in 06, you spoke of lots of things that effect the timing of the spawn. Water temp, photo period, water quality, visibility, fish condition and forage condition. Maybe I will just wait and see, instead of trying to set a date for them to spawn each year. I am thinking about your post being eleven years ago. Eleven years go by fast, don't they?
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Tracy, we have our electroshocking set for the third week of March. Not sure my LMB will still be pre-spawn, but we'll see. Water was 53 degrees this morning, and I've found several beds that seem to have been started then abandoned. I'm guessing those were from CNBG trying to spawn earlier in Feb when we were getting the huge weather swings.
LMB here in GA have already moved onto beds in many bodies of water.
I'd say the past 5 weeks depending on which region of GA and the BOW bass have been active with their spawning. This happens because we almost always go from low 50s high 40s temp to a week or more of high 60s low 70s temp in Jan or in Feb, and that is it, game on for the LMB!
So here you'll see quite a bit more fishing happening than say May or later, because everyone is along the banks with their polarized glasses looking for the bass. LOL
Yesterday my surface water temp 20' from shore at mid pond was 69 and 71 at the shoreline during mid afternoon. Water visibility is @ 24" with an Olive green color. Temps have been like this for around 10 days or so, with a one time 72 degree reading off the shoreline. I see no lmb in the shallows other than when they feed on the cnbg at feeding times or maybe some late afternoon feeding around the pond. I walk the pond daily, looking for an lmb, I have yet to see one, and yes I know what to look for lol. Maybe it is the steep banks? And our night time weather temps are pretty cool for The most part. I don't know Note to myself: Go back and re-read Eric's post. lol
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I know I have posted this info before but it is worth a repeat.
From the book of Bill Dance - when the redbuds start blooming the LMB males are starting to nest and when the dogwoods start to bloom soon after the redbuds start the females are nesting in full bloom (usually about a 2 week period). You can remember this - when the early spring flowering tress start to bloom the LMB will be blooming also.
Eric, the redbuds have not started but will ck again today, nor have the dogwoods but I can expect to see them in the near future, I bet! I read Bills first book, or what I think was his first, back in or around 1980. I learned from that book and it helped me out a lot back in those early Bass Tournament days.
Time fly's, Aint it the truth !!
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Red buds are in full bloom here on Lake Sam Rayburn. Wife and I drove around all day yesterday and even saw several dogwoods already blooming. Have not seen any lmb Tracy since the 40 degree nights.Previously I had spooked one off the same bed 3 days in a row. Now nowhere to be found. They were sure thinkin about it the other day but looks like it will be a little longer.By the way I did not intentionaly spook the bass off but he was setting up right behind my pontoon boat dock and I had to walk right by him to get on my dock. But that tells me he was not "locked" onto a bed just yet.
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Redbuds just starting here (about 1 week in)very few dogwoods blooming - they are about a week or 2 away. I did see a couple guys bed fishing on the Reservoir yesterday.
After Eric pointed out the Red buds and Dogwoods, I actually slowed down a bit to look around and smell the flowers Yep! Redbuds in bloom and I saw a couple of smaller Dogwoods with blooms but the larger dogwoods were not blooming yesterday. Flame, still no sight of any lmb on any nest. I am sure my water color has something to do with not seeing any lmb along the shoreline. The lmb colors are similar to the water color. I walk the shore in soft slow moves, looking. I tend to move that way since growing older anyway.
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As of this morning, our morning water temps are still in the mid to upper 50's, and I've seen no new nests.
I do stop and cull LMB most every morning, and I've primarily been catching males, and they were in a little deeper water. Maybe 3-5'. They're also not chasing lures right now. Me thinks we're getting close.
Our surface water temp was 57 degrees this morning, and I can confirm our LMB are pairing up on the nest sites, or in the process of fanning them. I found one nest where the female LMB was already actively rolling.
I'll try to get some late afternoon water temps at the surface, and 5' down.
Eric, I never got back up front last night, but the temp was 64 degrees down to 4' around 11 this morning. We were at 39 degrees air temp yesterday morning, and peaked at 75 that afternoon, and had southerly winds that peaked near 20 mph. This morning's temp was 60 degrees at 4 am, and has continued to warm up.
I know you didn't ask this, but my ADD is in full bloom, as these last few days have been a rare opportunity for me to actually witness the full spawning cycle. Almost daily, I fish a 2 acre flat to cull smaller LMB. This area historically refills with small LMB overnight, and I noticed that the LMB weren't refilling these areas for the last several days, and that's what got me to start looking for the beds. We always have CNBG and LMB spawns on the dam, and that's where I first found the LMB beds. Over an approximately 800' stretch, I saw unaccompanied males fanning nests, several pair of LMB nipping at CNBG to keep them away from the nests, and one bed where the female was actively rolling with her dorsal fins out of the water. Today I saw several beds where only the males that were guarding the nests remained.
I went out this morning, and caught four 2-3.5 pound LMB on that same flat. None were chasing the lure, all had set up near isolated brush piles, and only the largest male had milt. My WAG is that most or all of these fish were still pre-spawn.
Al your fish are on track ! 64 F is right to start the spawn and photoperiod is right at your location. Here is a bit from SARC
Largemouth bass in the South will usually spawn when 1 year old, if they are at least 10 inches long. Males select a nest site in the spring after the water temperature has stabilized above 60o F. Bass normally spawn at temperatures of 65 to 75oF in water depths of 1 to 4 feet near shore, but nesting has been observed as deep as 20 feet in clear water. There are some data, based on induced spawning trials, that indicate spawning is also affected by photoperiod or day length.
Al your fish are on track ! 64 F is right to start the spawn and photoperiod is right at your location. Here is a bit from SARC
Largemouth bass in the South will usually spawn when 1 year old, if they are at least 10 inches long. Males select a nest site in the spring after the water temperature has stabilized above 60o F. Bass normally spawn at temperatures of 65 to 75oF in water depths of 1 to 4 feet near shore, but nesting has been observed as deep as 20 feet in clear water. There are some data, based on induced spawning trials, that indicate spawning is also affected by photoperiod or day length.
Does the same apply for Northern LMB located in the upper Midwest?
Not exactly. Northern LMB up north (not in the south) sometimes don't spawn until 2 yrs of age. The rest is accurate for northern LMB up north with some local adaptation. They are, depending on location, a little more cool tolerant.
This past week with the colder weather my surface water temps have been @ 60F with no fish seen near the shoreline. All the fish seamed to back off to a little deeper water. This coming week looks like some really nice weather starting today. I expect the lmb will be moving up for spawning the next couple of weeks. And one male sampled on the sixth of March had a bloody tail, others did not. And the females looked to be getting close but I think this past week of colder weather has pushed them back a little.
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Here is a question for all. For those far enough south for your fish to have started spawning. What effect did the cold snap have. Did the fish go off the beds , were fry hatched yet , did you lose your plankton bloom (water get real clear)?
It may seem a small matter but one of the biggest factors faced by owners is the status of the annual hatch. A missed or very small year class can have huge effects on you pond. If fry were hatched just before a several day cold snap they can be lost. See what you can see and report back.
Here is a question for all. For those far enough south for your fish to have started spawning. What effect did the cold snap have. Did the fish go off the beds , were fry hatched yet , did you lose your plankton bloom (water get real clear)?
It may seem a small matter but one of the biggest factors faced by owners is the status of the annual hatch. A missed or very small year class can have huge effects on you pond. If fry were hatched just before a several day cold snap they can be lost. See what you can see and report back.
ewest -
We had a couple weeks of mid-60s and low 70s temperatures. The LMB have been in the shallows during that time. Just last Saturday even with temperatures "dropping into the low 50s" I sat and watched pairs of LMB spawning along the shore. I watched one pair for 40 minutes, dragging lure after lure beside their nest and above them (sans hooks) just to see if they had any response and their response was "leave us be". No interest not even to get the lure away from their area.
All of this water has high clarity. Gin clear. Probably 6 different ponds we've been fishing. It is dress in camo, sneak down to some point along the shore where there are no fish, and cast parallel to the bank to where there might be fish.
We just had the bottom fall out and the past couple of nights the temps dipped into high 20s and low 30s. But today we saw some bass still along the shore, feeding on bluegill fry. Most of the LMBs are finishing up their fun in the BOWs we fish.
Eric, no conclusions, but just a few observations since I first noticed my LMB on the beds.
The LMB that were spawning on the dam, did seem to abandon the beds within a few days, and hopefully for my particular pond, the spawning cycle was interrupted by the cold. No LMB ever returned to those same beds after the cold snap.
My water did clear slightly, and the next batch of pre-spawn LMB were in deeper water, and farther from the bank. Often as much as 40-50' depending on the bottom terrain.
All the males but three still had rigid bellies, and the other three were actively producing milt. One was a large male, so he went back in.
I took out 2 pairs that were caught in the exact same spot, and both females were still producing eggs, and had semi-soft bellies. In both cases, the males were much smaller.
I've caught no females that have completely dropped their eggs. As I continue to pull out males, I should see at least a few that took over the beds, or are feeding, but none so far.
4 days ago we started seeing wolfpacks of LMB cruising the banks. My visual guesstimate is that these LMB were in the 2#-5# range. I've only seen this when my fish are aggressively feeding.
A question I've been pondering... Is it possible that LMB (or any annually spawning fish for that matter) will skip spawning for a year because weather or some other environment condition created unwelcome conditions?
Yes sometimes but not very often conditions will result in the fish moving away from spawning and the female will reabsorb the eggs. It may not be a whole sale event and some fish will do so and others not. Many things can effect year class status and that is one. Weather is often a major factor.
Bill, we electroshocked the big pond yesterday, and these were in the shoreline weeds by themselves. They came out when I walked through the weeds. We did shock up females that were pre/post, and actively spawning. Ewest mentioned rolling spawns in a previous post, and that's what's happening here at our place.
Al, Thanks for posting your lmb fry pics. Now, I am walking around the pond every day looking for the same. I have decided there might be something wrong with me, Looking for lmb fry that small makes me wonder sometimes about my mental state In my discussion with Walt @ Overtons, He say's too look for golden colored fry and in doing so, all I see is FHM's and Gams. My fatheads come from my sediment pond when it rains it drains into the big pond. I try to make them look golden but tan colored is all I can come up with lol. if I get a spawn, it will be a first for me. We did a survey March 6th and one male had a real bloody tail but none of the other males had that bloody tail look. Rolling spawn, Maybe.
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I have yet to see an lmb bed at the pond in two seasons. Most likely due to steep banks and the fertile water and low lmb numbers. Plans are to run a 40 foot sein in mid May and look for lmb recruitment. Lots of cnbg in the pond might make it tough for lmb fingerling survival. Well see what things look like by June first and then make adjustments if needed. Glad to see things are looking good at your place and hoping some of those Lonestar Legacy lmb are making whoopy for ya.
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I sat and watched pairs of LMB spawning along the shore. I watched one pair for 40 minutes, dragging lure after lure beside their nest and above them (sans hooks) just to see if they had any response and their response was "leave us be". No interest not even to get the lure away from their area.
Yesterday I saw a huge fin in the shallows. Upon closer inspection it was a very large bass with its tail breaking the surface. As I got closer I could see other fish wakes leaving the area but the big one stayed in place. I threw three different lures at them but they were ignored.
My CNBG feeding is very slow right now. I wonder if they To are away from the dock spawning.
Tbar did you get a lot of rain and muddy up your water? Right after that 3 1/2 in rain we had my water muddys to about 12 inch visibility and the cnbg feed slows way down for a couple of days. I have noticed this several times on my pond.
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Tbar did you get a lot of rain and muddy up your water? Right after that 3 1/2 in rain we had my water muddys to about 12 inch visibility and the cnbg feed slows way down for a couple of days. I have noticed this several times on my pond.
No. We have had only had two 1/2" rains out here recently.
I am getting a bloom right now though that has visibility reduced.
I had a red ear, slider turtle spawn Yep, I have seen several small 1/2 dollar sized or smaller turtles in the pond. A couple sized not much bigger than a quarter. I wonder where the turtles eggs were? And I have missed out on the past rain events lately. Radar showed two inch rain, but the ground around the pond showed little to no rain, and that sucks because the pond is still low due to the lack of rain since last June. Seamed like most of E Texas has had rain but not so much for me. The water well has helped out a lot this past yr.
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I have seen those red ear slider turtles laying eggs probably 50-75 feet from a water source. We have baby red ears every year in our ponds, and the small two ponds without any LMB in them they survive well.
I've not seen where the females lay their eggs that get in our ponds. But I have seen more than once females laying their eggs not far from water near small seasonal creeks. So they must lay the eggs close enough to water so the turtle hatchlings can make their way to the water once born.
I observed one about 9" red ear slider digging out a hole with her hind legs and the hole was very moist, almost muddy. I think she was supplying the moisture but can't swear to it. I assume she then deposits the eggs in the hole and covers it up to let them hatch and the baby turtles fend for themselves and crawl to the water source. That is the way large ocean turtles do on sandy beaches.
Do the fish look for that full moon?
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