Spawning Largemouth 2024
gmoney13 reply :
Can't wait until bed fishing starts back up in New Jersey. Just wondering if anyone had any really good bed baits or tips/tricks.
WRB reply :
Fish outside and target pre spawners.
Tom
Catt reply :
Bed fishing aint about baits, it's about patience!
Yeajray231 reply :
C-rigged zoom lizard.
J Francho reply :
A Carolina Rig, for beds? Please, do tell. Be specific.
Here's a thoughtful article with an overlooked technique:
http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot-bedding-bass.html
fishballer06 reply :
Tie a 1/4oz dropshot weight to the nose of a Gantarel and swim it in and drop it in on the bed...
rangerjockey reply :
I don't think the bait matters as much as being able to tell the fish that are aggressive enough to bite.. I fished a FLW event with a guy who spent 2 hours on a bedded fish that just wouldn't bite, and never did. Don't blame him, it was a dandy.
I like some kind on lizard or creature bait. White is my favorite color because it's easier for me to see and contrast against the bed. I don't think color matters to the fish its just mad something is on its bed.
With that said, I'm not a huge fan of pulling fish off the beds and running them 20 miles to a weigh in..just me.
Yeajray231 reply :
On 12/13/2016 at 12:03 AM, J Francho said:A Carolina Rig, for beds? Please, do tell. Be specific.
Here's a thoughtful article with an overlooked technique:
http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot-bedding-bass.html
Ok mr francho. A Carolina rig is a very simple technique that works well ANY time bass are relating to the bottom. Sinker /bead/swivel and a leader.. I like to use a 3/4oz with a 2-3 foot leader. and the lizard just makes a perfect intruder on the bedding bass.
If you haven't tried it you're missing out. Very simple and effective..
Choporoz reply :
That's a lot of lead for, what will almost always be, very shallow bass
Yeajray231 reply :
On 12/13/2016 at 1:58 AM, Choporoz said:That's a lot of lead for, what will almost always be, very shallow bass
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.berkley-fishing.com/Berkley-ae-carolina-rigs-for-pre-spawn-spawning-bass.html&ved=0ahUKEwjHh5TBn-_QAhXD2yYKHTN8DYcQFghDMAo&usg=AFQjCNGSLVblLXVNNqSmlYHfZg2powxtqg&sig2=loteDFjS02S_EJlrnXU1rA
Take it up with the staff at Berkley. Ha-ha who says I'm using lead?. 3/4 is a bit heavy.. but it works great and this is the article that lead me to doing this.
Just Google it. It's a technique used by many... not just Berkley. Or you could post your own way of fishing beds ?
J Francho reply :
On 12/13/2016 at 1:19 AM, Yeajray231 said:Ok mr francho. A Carolina rig is a very simple technique that works well ANY time bass are relating to the bottom. Sinker /bead/swivel and a leader.. I like to use a 3/4oz with a 2-3 foot leader. and the lizard just makes a perfect intruder on the bedding bass.
If you haven't tried it you're missing out. Very simple and effective..
I know what Carolina rig is. Just wondering what makes it more effective than an easier to accurately cast Texas rig. What issue are you overcoming by using this rig? Typically, I see a c-rig as a semi deep to deep search rig, not really a sight fishing rig. It's definitely not an easy rig to pitch cast. I definitely disagree with this statement: "The rig works well because it keeps the bait on or near the bottom better than any method out there and it covers lots of ground." A Texas rig or jig is better at keeping the bait down, and why do you need to cover lots of ground? The beds is often less than two feet in diameter, and you should be able to see it. I'm not saying it doesn't work, but I'm dubious as to it being a better method. Anyways, I'd rather stab myself in the eye with a fork than fish a Carolina rig. It's boring, slow, fussy to tie up, and I always feel disconnected from the bait.
As far as weight goes, I do agree with you. Sometimes I use an ounce or more fishing drop baits in beds on a Texas rig. In fact, in the article I linked, my friend Burnie was using a pegged one ounce tungsten weight and Sweet Beaver.
WRB reply :
I do not intensionally target bedding bass, there was a time I did. I found it's more productive to target pre spawners or post spawners not on beds, but outside in deeper water staged.
Male bass protecting the bed site are very aggressive and will try to remove anything that gets near or in the bed. If eggs have been laid the protection area is smaller. Bigger females don't stay around the bed very long usually hours, not days and may lay eggs at several bed sites. When the pair are laying and fertizing eggs they are not interested in protecting the nest site, only before and after.
Choice of bed lure is anything you can see well or anything the bass considers egg eaters; crawdads, small fish, salamanders. Treble hook lures should be avoided around a bass bed, no reason to snag the bass that's not trying to eat the lure, it's just removing it.
Tom
J Francho reply :
Those big, cruising females will taunt you......
Yeajray231 reply :
Yea @J Francho I just was sharing what has worked for me.. I didn't have an elder or a tutor.. just learned from reading and experimenting.. it works ! But I never claimed it to be the best bed bait. I just named something I had success on in the past..
I'll try the drop shot come this spring. and I think I'm going to try a Mattlures gill as well
J Francho reply :
Oh, I am sure it works - never doubted that part.
If your Hard Gill is a floater, you can add a big Duo-Loc snap to the line tie, and that will pull the gill down, nose first, very slowly. Ask me how I know how effective this is....
The drop shot is a fun one - again, a little fussy to cast like the C-rig, and not my first choice, but when all else fails, like the article said...
soflabasser reply :
On 12/12/2016 at 11:20 AM, gmoney13 said:Can't wait until bed fishing starts back up in New Jersey. Just wondering if anyone had any really good bed baits or tips/tricks.
I don't fish for nesting bass anymore, but there was a time I did and mostly used jigs with crawfish trailers.Bass hate crawfish near nest.
Ktho reply :
White and Pink for targeting bedded bass. Texas rig strike king rage bug is my favorite. If you don't want to or cant see bed fish, square bills, jerkbaits and swimbaits are good to work over bedding areas or just fish points, channels leading up to spawning areas and get the prespawn and postspawn fish.
WRB reply :
Keep in mind the bass aren't eating your lure, they are removing it. I have tossed rock pebbles into a bass nest and watched the bass pick it up and move it. All that matters is your ability to set the hook quickly. White jigs (tubes) are excellent. This isn't difficult it's more like shooting fish in a barrel.
Tom
J Francho reply :
On 12/13/2016 at 4:21 AM, WRB said:Keep in mind the bass aren't eating your lure, they are removing it. I have tossed rock pebbles into a bass nest and watched the bass pick it up,and move it.
That's the behavior I exploit in the technique I describe in my article linked above.
gmoney13 reply :
On 12/13/2016 at 12:47 AM, rangerjockey said:I don't think the bait matters as much as being able to tell the fish that are aggressive enough to bite.. I fished a FLW event with a guy who spent 2 hours on a bedded fish that just wouldn't bite, and never did. Don't blame him, it was a dandy.
I like some kind on lizard or creature bait. White is my favorite color because it's easier for me to see and contrast against the bed. I don't think color matters to the fish its just mad something is on its bed.
With that said, I'm not a huge fan of pulling fish off the beds and running them 20 miles to a weigh in..just me.
@rangerjockey I'm just on land fishing for them on beds to catch the fish, take a picture if it is big and put it back on the bed to spawn.
Catt reply :
As stated almost any lure or technique can catch bedding bass.
FYI:
Crawfish do not eat fish eggs, aint on their diet!
The females do stay on the nest for days!
Reference any number of B.A.S.S. or FLW tournaments!
January 17, 2001 the first day of the Florida Bassmaster Top 150 tournament on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. I couldn't believe what I saw," Rojas said. "I saw 10 pounders, 9 pounders, 8 pounders everywhere I looked." In Rozas livewell, 10 lb 13 oz, 10-0, 9-0, 8-2 and 7-3 for a total of 45 pounds, 2 ounces.
J Francho reply :
I watched Rojas do his thing on SML in VA. That guy has an eye for deep beds.
Yeajray231 reply :
I see serious veterans saying conflicting statements about how long females stay on their beds ...
Some say only a few hours... you're saying days ! Does the female stay there by herself?
@Catt do you care to elaborate a little more on this ?
J Francho reply :
I've seen two on a bed all day, and not spawning. It's usually the male that bites first, with more aggression. Other times, I only see a male. I watched one male by our old dock keep three females at court. He was probably only 13" long, but man he had three big females hanging around all weekend. Cracked me up.
Mike L reply :
A female will drop and run, another will drop and hang out. Totally depends on conditions and thier state of mind I guess, nobody knows for sure.
I will target bedding bass if the situation allows...And yes in a tournament situation I will stay on it for an hour if need be. I've seen them drop and not move, others will leave, some will go and hide nearby and yet others will stay close but in the open. Reminds me of a mother dropping her kids off at a play ground but hanging around to keep an eye on them.
I've use many different colors and style of baits but my go to down here is a white bb cricket.
Mike
Catt reply :
On 12/13/2016 at 9:45 PM, Yeajray231 said:I see serious veterans saying conflicting statements about how long females stay on their beds ...
Some say only a few hours... you're saying days ! Does the female stay there by herself?
@Catt do you care to elaborate a little more on this ?
The references given aint good enough?
@J Francho watched Rojas do it on Toledo a couple times!
"hamma" reply :
I dont fish beds anymore, many years ago when I did? I liked a 1/4 oz roundheaded jig with a white grub on it, be it 4 or 3" didnt seem to matter. The color was so I could see it, more,,for it to disappear, as sometimes, they would just stare at it and other times just grab at the tail and remove it. But when it disappears? they've usually sucked it in their mouth for a second or so, just to spit it off of the bed
Now, I gave up on bed fishing as I felt it was unethical for me to continue to do so as they are "busy", and replenishing the lakes population..
you can bed fish all you want and I will have no ill feelings towards you about it whatsoever, it's your choice to make so I wont make it for you. But, keep in mind, just as Tom stated above, I also find it more productive to target the staging bass. Thats if,and a big "IF" they can be located. Not all lakes and ponds will have a specific area they stage at. These waters I will pound the shoreline for the cruising females, they usually arent "seeking" food, but at times can be coaxed into a hitting a spinnerbait or jerkbait.
J Francho reply :
On 12/13/2016 at 11:24 PM, "hamma" said:But, keep in mind, just as Tom stated above, I also find it more productive to target the staging bass. Thats if,and a big "IF" they can be located. Not all lakes and ponds will have a specific area they stage at. These waters I will pound the shoreline for the cruising females, they usually arent "seeking" food, but at times can be coaxed into a hitting a spinnerbait or jerkbait.
When we were working with biologists and the DEC to get an extended catch and release, the biologists stated that approximately 75% of the bass population in a given lake do not spawn. They can generally be found in emerging weed beds in somewhat close proximity to spawning areas.
Catt reply :
My thoughts are if ya think you're interrupting the spawn by catching em off the nest why does it not interrupt the spawn catching em between nest?
"Ken Cook emphasizes that understanding the spawning habits of the female bass will significantly improve your chances of catching some of the biggest bass of the year. He believes that the female often moves on and off of the bed to deposit more eggs (hatchery studies support this claim). Few females drop all of their eggs at once. Instead, they expel a portion and then move off to a nearbybreakline, bush or grass edge.
It is this sporadic purging of eggs and the ability to spawn with different males on several nests that keeps the annual spring bedding season from being severely impacted by large tournaments. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologist Clarence Bowling says studies have shown that a female (when handled properly) will simply locate a bed and an available male in the area where she is released and complete spawning."
GET A LOCK ON THE SPAWN By Tim Tucker
J Francho reply :
On 12/13/2016 at 11:32 PM, Catt said:My thoughts are if ya think you're interrupting the spawn by catching em off the nest why does it not interrupt the spawn catching em between nest?
I think it's the emotional attachment to "spawning." That we are somehow interrupting the act, making that attempt unsuccessful. I fish for spawners, but I get it, I understand why some feel that way. You're totally right, though. And that was the mindset of preventing ANY bass fishing until late June, up here.
roadwarrior reply :
Late winter and early spring brings literally thousands of fishermen to Lake Fork in Texas. When I was down there MOST of those fishermen spent a good deal of time fishing beds with good success. Over the years the impact on the bass population appears to be nill. I think Lake Fork still produces the greatest number of Share Lunkers for the state program.
Choporoz reply :
I, too, understand the aversion to fishing for bass that are clearly spawning.
My feeling is a little more complicated. There is something that makes me uncomfortable about spending 10, 20, 30 minutes trying to get a clearly uninterested bass to pick up your lure and hope you can hook it....I can't really explain why it doesn't appeal to me. But, if I were going to target them, why not use a spear gun or a cast net? I know that is an extreme question, but it just doesn't feel like 'bass fishing' to me. Now, the hypocrite in me will sheepishly tell you that when I cannot see them, I might just target areas around where I think there may be beds....watching Powroznik video at Toledo Bend a couple years ago, I was struck by how important that was to him for that tournament, but that I wouldn't do it.....but if in a tournament, don't hold me to that
WRB reply :
I made my statement based on actual observation watching big females move on and off beds, they don't hang around 1 bed site very long, a few hours and sometimes a day or 2 at the longest. Also watched several big females on 1 bed site, that was unusual.
Crawdads are a critter bass will hit instantly on a nest, I know this from experience catching a lot of DD bass off beds at Lower Otay back in the late 60's.
Tom
Yeajray231 reply :
My question is are females ever on the beds by themselves for any period of time ? my understanding... is the male's fan the nests out , the females come in and the male's bump the eggs out. Then the male's guard the nest and the fry ... is this correct ?
J Francho reply :
On 12/14/2016 at 12:20 AM, Yeajray231 said:My question is are females ever on the beds by themselves for any period of time ? my understanding... is the male's fan the nests out , the females come in and the male's bump the eggs out. Then the male's guard the nest and the fry ... is this correct ?
Yes, if I catch the male first, lol.
The males do stay and guard the fry. Smallmouth fry and dad are pretty cool to see. The fry are jet black.
Catt reply :
There are few experts more capable of unlocking the mysteries involved with the spawning ritual and debunking the myths than Ken Cook. And it is by borrowing from his insight, as well as that of other spawning specialists (pros like Shaw Grigsbyand Guido Hibdon), that the average angler can begin to lock onto the spawn with consistent success.
The key is gaining an understanding of the behavioral basics and timing of bedding bass.
We act like we know that the males precede the females to the spawning areas, explains Cook, a six-time B.A.S.S. tournament winner. But I don't think that is true because both sexes seem to get very aggressive and very food-oriented during what we call the pre-spawn stage. The come out of the cold winter and the water warms up and their metabolism kicks in. Both sexes really become aggressive as feeders.
Then there seems to be a time frame in which the females become less interested in feeding, but the males continue to bite because they pick up the aggressiveness of the spawn. Both are focused on the spawn right on through the spawning period. The females kind of back off of feeding and become less aggressive as the hormonal changes in their body take place as they prepare to actually lay their eggs.
Conventional knowledge indicates that the male bass builds the nest, fans it out and guards it (zealously). Generally, a good male that is aggressive and active will attract more than one female to his nest and spawn with each of them. Along with that, an active female will spawn a number of times and, in most cases, ina number of different males' nests. She moves down the shoreline making it with different males. The male sits in one spot and waits for more females to come by. I think that is sort of a hedge (on the part of the female) against an infertile male spoiling the hatch of a good fertile female. So she spread her eggs around and he spreads his fertility around. That ensures a higher success rate for that spawn.
That is important knowledge for fishermen, because most people think that once the female leaves the bed, only the male is left. It is true that the female only guards the nest for a short time before moving away, but other females will come to that nest. The other thing to keep in mind is that this isn't a long, drawn-out process. Once the water reaches the upper 60 degrees, which is ideal, it only takes about three or four days for the eggs to hatch. I think the male will spend about six weeks on the beds as the females rotate through, but the whole spawning season happens over three full moons, bringing a new wave of spawning with get full moon period.
Cook emphasizes that understanding the spawning habits of the female bass will significantly improve your chances of catching some of the biggest bass of the year. He believes that the female often moves on and off of the bed to deposit more eggs (hatchery studies support this claim). Few females drop all of their eggs at once. Instead, they expel a portion and then move off to a nearbybreakline, bush or grass edge.
It is this sporadic purging of eggs and the ability to spawn with different males on several nests that keeps the annual spring bedding season from being severely impacted by large tournaments. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologist Clarence Bowling says studies have shown that a female (when handled properly) will simply locate a bed and an available male in the area where she is released and complete spawning.
GET A LOCK ON THE SPAWN By Tim Tucker
That's the first part of the article, take what y'all want from it!
Mike L reply :
Mother Nature...You gotta Love her!!
Mike
primetime reply :
Bed fishing can drive you insane. I never feel good even if I spend an hour to finally get the fish to hold the bait long enough to get a good hook set plus I already know the size which just takes away that "Surprise of first seeing the fish". I obviously will do it when I just happen to notice a big Female on a bed, but I rarely go looking for beds unless it is a last resort. I know it is a skill for sure, but I try to fish spawning areas by simply fan casting different baits & just hope for the best...I prefer to fish the nearest drop off where I see bedding fish hoping to hook into some big females in transition instead.
Obviously I always check for beds in any Lake or Pond starting in late November in Florida since in ponds or even some lakes you start to see fish move up if you have the right weather patterns, same with December. If you see beds then I usually have more confidence fishing certain areas I may not usually try figuring big females are waiting to move up so I target the nearest drop off, with cover near by, and usually figure the fish are suspended...It works all the time 50% of the time.
"hamma" reply :
I dont oppose or advocate bed fishing. I just dont do it anymore as for:
1) its kinda easy pickins
2) they're busy replenishing the lake, so I let them
3) I know I dont want anyone botherin me while in the act,...lol
Its enough at that time of year for me to target the females in the manner I do, I just choose to do so away from the beds,
If you want to bed fish? go for it, I dont mind, or expect you to follow my criteria. Actually I'd rather find that holding area the females are staging on, and watch the other anglers bedfish,... as opposed to them on my track in my way,..lol.
The only time you may see me fish a bed?,..if there's a 15 lber on it.
lo n slo reply :
my kind of thread right here. well done guys.
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