Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Multiple spawns?

The weekend of April 15th we were at our pond and saw a few bass gaurding their beds. One bass caught was full of eggs. The next week I installed an aerator. A week later it was in full operation (post start-up). This weekend (5/21) I was back at the pond and again saw bass on the beds, and also caught one full of eggs. My question is this: Could the re-distribution of the water column, and thereby the pond water temperature, have caused the bass to have had more than one spawn? Or is it more likely that some simply hadn't spawned before the aerator install?

What a question ! I don't believe the aeration could cause the LMB to have a second spawn. But by changing the temps. it sure could slow down the spawn and make it a prolonged one. Here is some info on LMB spawning dates. I have "heard" (pure speculation) that in some unusual circumstances LMB can spawn in spring and again in early fall.

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=000305;p=1#000000

Could it just be the weather conditions? Here in middle Tennessee in mid April we set record highs and had 11 straight days above 80. In mid May we had 11 straight days of below normal temps with many nights well down in the 40s. The water temp in my pond on May 20th was about the same as it was back on April 20th.

Ewest, do you know what unusual conditions might get LMB to spawn in early fall? It might help explain some of the 2-1/2" LMB I have seen in our pond here this spring.

I gave that some thought as well. In fact, the two contibuting factors might be working along with each other. We too have had the same weather, and given the pond is deep (~18 feet), that re-distributed pleanty of cold water right after the warm spell, which is just now warming up again. Who knows, but at the very least it looks as though it has been a rather long spawning period.

Shorty :

Did a little research to add to my experiences. Hear is some info. I have encountered LMB spawning late (Sept small yoy) twice. Once I am fairly sure it was not a second spawn the other who knows. Both resulted in small LMB in the fall. Others I know insist that LMB can and have spawned twice in their ponds. I can't say that is true or disprove it either.

The first time was when I added some late maturing 10 inch LMB to a pond. Those fish were right from the hatchery (had not ever spawned) and were the product of a prior July spawn at the hatchery. They were held over the winter for me at the hatchery until they were 10 inches and were placed in the pond in mid July and spawned in Aug. I saw a few nesting and about 3 weeks later saw some small LMB yoy. I classify this event as due to fish condition. They were not mature enough when the regular spawn conditions occurred in April so they waited.

The other time I encountered a late LMB spawn was in a oxbow lake that is subject to river/resv. influence. In that case the conditions for the spawn were right in May (subject to cold resv. tailrace water) when big rains muddied the water and caused the resv. to be opened for flood avoidance purposes. The water went up 20 feet and was muddy and cold for 2 mths. From what I could tell the LMB in May stopped spawning and delayed until conditions were right in late July then spawned. I assume any fish that spawned in May lost the brood and started over and those who hadn't spawned delayed. Maybe a mix of both. I classify this event as due to water conditions.

Here are a few ideas from some research. Many things can effect the LMB spawn including , weather , water conditions , temps. , fish condition , spawn suppression by other fish (BG ,GShad , or a stunted combo of forage fish), and others. If any of these conditions are present then the LMB may delay spawning until the condition is gone ( as long as the temp. and photoperiod window is open) or may reabsorb the eggs and produce them later when conditions improve. I guess this could happen in mid spawn and you might end up with 2 distinct spawns or if conditions did not improve then you might miss a year class altogether. I suspect that most times people encounter small yoy LMB in fall it is due to spawn suppression and not due to 2 spawns. Look at the thread linked in my post above about spawn duration and keep in mind that you can have several different sizes of LMB yoy due to rolling spawn. Any other comments would be welcome.

Thanks ewest! I have seen the bass in our pond start spawing behavior in mid April and have seen spawning behavior last up to the end of June, but I have never seen it in the fall. I would guess that the 2-1/2" LMB I have siened up in the last month are most likely last years late June fry that were a little behind the competition curve, they should be ahead of it now as the LMB spawn in now in full swing. Interesting note, the BG in our pond have not started building any nest yet, I suspect that will change in the next week.