4 years ago this June I stocked my 2.5 acre pond with LMB that the Ia DNR gives to new pond owners or current ponds that meet certain criteria. This year the bass spawned for the first time! I watched several males making and defending nests in three shallow locations and watched females enter the nests, presumibly lay eggs then return to the open pond again. I could see the males nudging the females sides as they entered the nest and I assume this was to encourage the egg dropping. It was odd to me though, to see several females, (3-4) entering the nest and atleast 2 males defending and cleaning the nest. After 6 days of seeing this activity I returned to the nests site and see that one looks abandoned and watched one fish (unidentified) leave the other.
How log does it take for bass to hatch once eggs are fertilized?
Will this cold front we are having in the midwest do anything to the eggs, or to the patterns of the bass?
Thank you for you comments!
FH
