Pond Boss
Posted By: J. E. Craig LMB Spawning Behavior - 02/24/09 03:10 PM
A 3 acre retention pond in North Florida. We have had some strange weather the past few months Temps ranging from 85 to 19 degrees. I have checked the water Temps recently & they have been in the 50 to 60 degree range. I saw the males bedding in January & thought it was a bit early. The spawning last year was in early March. Last week I saw two males in different bedding areas swimming back & forth in a 12 foot area as if they were guarding that spot but not in the spawning bed protection manner. I have read about it, but never seen the protective behavior of the male LMB after the swim up by the fry. I then saw a cloud of fry. The male remained in deeper water patroling back & forth protecting that cloud of young. I am sure the other LMB was doing the same but I was not sharp enough to see his cloud of fry.
Posted By: james holt Re: LMB Spawning Behavior - 02/24/09 03:50 PM
Cool!
Posted By: CJBS2003 Re: LMB Spawning Behavior - 02/24/09 07:19 PM
I am surprised there was a successful spawn in water temps that cold. 50-60 degrees is cold! Usually LMB start their spawning behavior at around 60 degrees and then begin spawning at around 64 degrees.
Posted By: Greg Grimes Re: LMB Spawning Behavior - 02/24/09 08:10 PM
yep but it could have been above 64 two weeks ago with several 80 degree days.
Posted By: CJBS2003 Re: LMB Spawning Behavior - 02/24/09 08:15 PM
This is true... But with the temps dropping back into the 50's I would have expected the nest to fail or the fry to die. I am not sure exactly how cold the water has to drop back to before nests fail and fry die though. Any number for that Greg?
Posted By: Greg Grimes Re: LMB Spawning Behavior - 02/25/09 12:25 AM
not sure but having performed a few electroshock in FL. I have seen first hand bass fry in Feb. As you know it is not that all bass go to spawn at the sametime, you have the bell curve so some go early and some go late. Pretty wild for northern folks to think of bass spawn in Jan/Feb but it does happen quite frequently in Florida and south GA.
Posted By: ewest Re: LMB Spawning Behavior - 02/25/09 01:18 AM
That bell curve can last 10 mths in Fla. See this thread

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=22531&fpart=1
Posted By: CJBS2003 Re: LMB Spawning Behavior - 02/25/09 02:40 AM
I've seen fry that early in FL down in the southern part of the state. I suspect the northern part is a bit different though.
Posted By: archer Re: LMB Spawning Behavior - 02/25/09 06:16 PM
We live about 20 miles south of Hou. TX, 25 miles inland from Gulf of Mexico. I have some 9-12" LMB from last spring spawn, but also saw some 2-3" LMB as late as Nov in the shallows...so I must have had some sort of late summer early fall spawn. Pond is 2 yrs old, 3/4 acre, 9 ft deep max. All the LMB came from Overton and are feed trained....use AQMX 600 daily.

Also, set out fish trap on Sunday and had lots of 1-2" CNBG in there last night.
Posted By: J. E. Craig Re: LMB Spawning Behavior - 02/27/09 01:45 PM
Water temps are still about the same. The LMB are back at it again. They have cleared new spawning areas once again. These spots are in the most sunny & warm area of the pond.
Posted By: Greg Grimes Re: LMB Spawning Behavior - 02/27/09 03:56 PM
Can you check surface temp and report back?
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