Pre-Spawn Staging

By Chris Erwin

I don’t think they is any question we have had a crazy spring and lakes as still trying to catch up to where they are normally at this time of the year. I finally had a chance to get on the water myself and along with the reports I get each week, I think it’s safe to say I have a pretty good idea where we stand as far as the progression of spring on our eastern lakes. I’m sure that the more you go west, the father along the fishing will be.

While we have a fishing report each week where we try to keep you informed about what we have heard from our readers, I felt it was time to expand on what we know. Spring only comes once a year, and some of the best fishing of the season is beginning to develop.

As the headline implies, pre-spawn staging is under way. So what does that mean and what should you know to improve your odds on the water?

To begin with, let me say, all the fish of any given species don’t always do the same thing at the same time. I’m sure they are some early spawners that are on the nest as I write this, and I have personally seen bass nesting as late as June. However, the bulk of the fish respond to environmental conditions, which trigger spawning activity.

If we go by the calendar, bass should be on the nest now. Crappie and muskie should be near done. I believe this late spring has had very little effect on the muskie and the white crappie is about where they should be too. The black crappie seem to be a little behind since they should be in shallow water by now. In our eastern lakes, evidence indicates they are only now coming to the bank.

Its been long established that largemouth bass spawn when the water temperature reaches between 55-65 degrees. One thing you need to remember is the surface temperature and the water temperature at three to four feet could be quite different. You could have a surface temperature at 70 degrees and at four feet it could be 60 or even below depending on how strong the sun is and how cold the water has been. Water doesn’t warm or cool at the same rate as air, so true water temperature should be taken at four feet. This will give you a more accurate gauge of the real water temperature.

Reporting anglers are sending us water temperatures in the range of 60 degrees, but it is up and down according to where it’s taken and what time of day it’s recorded. These are most likely surface readings. By looking at the reports, you would think we would be deep into the bass spawn. However, fish catches would indicate a different conclusion.

I managed to catch eight bass on Yatesville Lake last weekend as I was testing my rebuilt motor. Some of them were over the 15-inch size limit. They were all females still packing eggs. None were caught from spawning beds instead they were caught on the first break in about six to ten feet of water.

This would suggest that these fish are in the staging phase of spawning. The fish I caught were sporting their spawning colors, which would suggest they are ready to move to beds. We also had reports that male “buck” bass were showing up in the shallows and starting to get aggressive. This would suggest the males were preparing the nest while the larger females were waiting in a little deeper water.

So what does all this mean?

To make it short and sweet fish the first break for the larger fish. Be aware that the bass will be moving to nest soon. I do not support taking fish from the nest. However, if you do remove a bass from the nest, please release it quickly and don’t remove it from the area of the nest.

Until next time take a kid fishing!