Pond Boss
Posted By: anthropic December spawn? - 12/08/21 04:13 AM
Saw a school of tiny fry off the dock today, obviously hatched in just the last few days. Almost certainly BG or CNBG. This is the latest I can recall seeing a spawn. Anybody else in my neck of the woods seeing this?

Oh, and by the way, still no dirty cormorants. GBH and bald eagle have the place pretty much to themselves.
Posted By: esshup Re: December spawn? - 12/08/21 05:07 AM
Originally Posted by anthropic
Saw a school of tiny fry off the dock today, obviously hatched in just the last few days. Almost certainly BG or CNBG. This is the latest I can recall seeing a spawn. Anybody else in my neck of the woods seeing this?

Oh, and by the way, still no dirty cormorants. GBH and bald eagle have the place pretty much to themselves.

What's the water temp there?
Posted By: anthropic Re: December spawn? - 12/08/21 05:59 AM
Mid 60s to low 70s in the afternoons. Cooler today due to cold front.
Posted By: jpsdad Re: December spawn? - 12/08/21 12:18 PM
Originally Posted by anthropic
Saw a school of tiny fry off the dock today, obviously hatched in just the last few days. Almost certainly BG or CNBG. This is the latest I can recall seeing a spawn. Anybody else in my neck of the woods seeing this?

Oh, and by the way, still no dirty cormorants. GBH and bald eagle have the place pretty much to themselves.

Frank I am further west ... maybe same to the close latitude. I haven't seen any BG spawning activity for about 3 months since maybe the first or second week of September. I fish every week, several ponds, but not several ponds every week. I've read spawning is triggered by a combination of day length and temperature. Are you sure the fry are swim up BG? If you could dip them and keep in a watering trough you would know by Spring what they are.

Glad you have no cormorants BTW.
Posted By: Flame Re: December spawn? - 12/08/21 01:23 PM
Frank,I have had fry this late before. I just texted another member just a few days ago that i was seeing a few small fry near my dock also. Don't think they are lasting though. They get eaten up pretty quick.
Posted By: CityDad Re: December spawn? - 12/08/21 01:49 PM
Central FL. My minnows are spawning, and I think some BG have spawned a few weeks ago but I couldnt net those fry to be certain.
Posted By: ewest Re: December spawn? - 12/08/21 04:00 PM
In central to south Fla LMB and BG species have been noted to spawn 10 mths out of the year.

Prior posts have indicated BG spawning even in Jan in east and central TX in prior years.
Posted By: FishinRod Re: December spawn? - 12/08/21 07:38 PM
Good 'ol Bluegills, trying to shore up their spot as the #1 forage fish.

They work harder, so we don't have to!
Posted By: Sunil Re: December spawn? - 12/08/21 11:40 PM
Love is in the air......
Posted By: anthropic Re: December spawn? - 12/09/21 12:04 AM
Interesting that this late spawn seems more characteristic of east than west Texas. Almost certainly BG, as I don't seem to have any fathead minnows left after initial stocking. I'd net some, but don't have anything with fine enough mesh!

I agree with James that they aren't long for this world, what with most of my pondweeds gone. Gotta give the panfish credit for trying!
Posted By: Shorty Re: December spawn? - 12/11/21 01:40 AM
I have a lot late hatch RES this year, I'm assuming late August or September spawn. On warm sunny days they're everywhere in shallow water. Water temps are currently in the 40's. I dipped this one out yesterday.

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Posted By: Bill Cody Re: December spawn? - 12/11/21 01:49 AM
Shorty I think that juvenile RES based on its size was from eggs laid in late Aug-Sep. 10 days to hatch and growing maybe 0.5mm or less per day and maybe slightly stunted due to slightly large eye size. Also growth significantly slowed when the water dropped below 60F. We need to keep in mind that RES prefer the warmer climate of Southern US.
Posted By: Shorty Re: December spawn? - 12/11/21 02:14 AM
Originally Posted by Bill Cody
Shorty I think that juvenile RES based on its size was from eggs laid in late Aug-Sep. 10 days to hatch and growing maybe 0.5mm or less per day and maybe slightly stunted due to slightly large eye size. Also growth significantly slowed when the water dropped below 60F. We need to keep in mind that RES prefer the warmer climate of Southern US.

Water temps dropped below 60 in mid to late October, I doubt I'll see many this size after ice out this spring. On warms days they are up shallow soaking up the warm water. I ran my dip net once just to confirm what they were.
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