Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Spawning BG question

I am catching some very fat 6 inch BG that I stocked 6 months ago. I decided to open one of them up and sure enough it had eggs. About how long do they carry their eggs in Louisiana? When can I expect to see some babies swimming? Thanks,

TKD, I believe BG will spawn several times in the deep south. I know that my CNBG did so last year.

Yea, I'm pretty sure I had 4-5 spawns last year alone.Just had the second one of 2017 already this year!!

In your location 5 or 6 spawns would be normal. That does not mean every fish will spawn that many times. It is a rolling event - see thread on rolling spawns. In a controlled situation BG female can spawn every 30 days with the right temp and photo period. That is she can regenerate eggs in that time period.

All eggs don't mature at the same time(Lusk). She will go do it again or, in some cases, absorb the eggs.

Flame I have seen some 1" cnbg along the shoreline this week. I needed the spawn because I had what looked to be low count on the 1 to 3" cnbg this early spring. I believe the lmb feed on the 3" er's during the winter. I have lots of 4" and up.

I have wondered the same thing about the LMB maybe using the smaller BG for their lessened winter time cold water feeding.

I had lots of small BG last fall when I quit feeding, but as you say this spring they are mostly absent. They either grew quite a bit over the winter or the LMB ate them or they died or something.

I also had thought that with their lower winter metabolism the LMB went to smaller sized meals. It seems like in cold water I have better luck catching anything with smaller baits too. Although I don't fish for LMB much then.

So each female will likely spawn multiple times during the long growing season in the south? But never every time?

Can't say "never" but the production of eggs depends on many factors including condition , food , temps , photoperiod , etc. . Bigger females usually produce more eggs. If not used eggs can be reabsorbed. First year survival of BG is highly variable but almost all (in % terms) don't live to 1 yr. It is common for them to be eaten by many predators (not all by fish). Many also die from lack of food , cold snaps , or other stressors.

Also most reported info is variable showing anywhere from 1 to 11 spawns per year. These figures/info are on a population basis and not usually on a per fish basis. There are a few studies where fish were marked and followed (filmed and scuba)but IIRC they were in Canada and only 1 spawn was exhibited.

Thanks, Eric!