Early prespawn techniques 2024

ffmedic147 reply :

First of all what do you all consider prespawn? On a resevior what areas do you all focus on? What r some early prespawn techniques that you all use?

5bass reply :

I fish a man-made highland reservoir on a regular basis. In prespawn I like to fish points and deeper rip-rap in the morning and pockets and cuts right off the main lake when the water starts to warm later in the day. Jerkbaits, crankbaits and jigs.

guest reply :

My most effective prespawn technique has always been dinner and a movie.

Brian_Reeves reply :

I like to use jerkbaits off of main lake points that are close to or in between the winter haunts and the spawning grounds. Prespawn is really a staging and transition time, so you'll have to move around a bit. Sticking with points and deep water close to flats is a good move. Also, if you can, focus on structure on the northwest corner of the lake. That part of the lake heats up the fastest if I remember correctly.

Catt reply :

From a previous discussion

Pre-spawn is the time when the fish are in transition from the cold winter and moving up to shallow water to get ready to start their spawn. These fish are hungry, moody, and restless. Bass are on the move looking for their spawning beds, their metabolism is changing. The question is "Where are they? Where are the warmest spots on the lake and how is this weather front going to affect the fish?

I believe it's all about timing; the bass are going to get rid of those eggs no matter what. Here on Toledo Bend the bass will start their move up as early as mid January and the spawn will run through the end of March and even as late as mid April. Bass will go to pre-spawn even if the water is 35 to 40 degrees.

What does it take to make for a good staging location?

There are 2 things that I consider when looking for staging areas. The first is the 3 to 5' flats that are closest to my winter holes. The second is spawning locations that I know about from previous years.

Toledo Bend is not a natural lake, in reality it is a flooded canyon; What this means is that the lake has a lot of flats out in the middle of the lake and when the lake is low these high spots can be great spawning locations

I try to keep it simple; spinner baits, crank baits and Rattle-L-Traps for the most part. Spinner baits I use a white ½ ounce double willow leaf. Crank baits I look for baits that have a tight wobble to them and the Rattle-L-Traps I use both a ½ and 3/4 ounce each. For me the key is that I want to be able to just tick the tops of the grass and that is what determines the size of baits I use. As for the reels I use a 6:1 ratio for most everything, but if I am going to slow role a spinner bait I may go to a slower 5.0:1 ratio. It makes it easier for me to keep it down on the bottom. As for the line and rods I consider the situation, water clarity, depth and of course cover plays a big factor in what is needed for the situation.

BassChaser57 reply :

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My most effective prespawn technique has always been dinner and a movie.

Now that is about as good of a comeback as I have heard. That really put a smile on the ole mug this morning. I vote for Avid to go to help break the writers strike.

8-)

Tin reply :

I fish points, shallow stumpfields, and docks on spawning flats. Usually all with either a rat-l-trap, light carolina rig, or jig.

bocabasser reply :

rattle traps/lipless crankbaits. cover a lot of water because these fish are looking to get fat and ready for spawn.

WRB reply :

Agree with Catt, except the water temperature statement. Toledo Bend is a classic hill land reservoir and the presentations are appropriate for that type of lake.

Pre spawn is the transition period from the cold water to the warmer spawning flats. Water temperature at the depth the bass are holding in, not necessarily the surface temperature, for pre spawn is around 55 to 62 degrees for LMB. Once the bass start to roam potential spawning flats the spawn should start within 2 weeks during the first full moon as the water, at 3 to 5, feet reaches approximately 62 degrees. If you are in Main or Texas, the bass react the same to a combination of water temperature and day light hours. Like everything in nature not all the bass behave the same and the spawn can occur over a 2 to 3 month period in most reservoirs, as the lake warms at different rates in several locations. Cold fronts with high winds tend to chase the bass off the beds in exposed areas, the bass move and try agian. Female bass may spawn several times with different males.

Pre spawn bass, the big females, are active feeding on high protein large baitfish and crawdads primarily, so lures should mimic the prey source. Deep breaks near spawning flats with wood cover are usually the best locations to find pre spawn bass.

WRB

Crestliner2008 reply :

Since we have no closed season on bass here in MA, per se, I break down "prespawn" into two catagories: "Ice Out" and the "Pre-spawn" itself. The ice out period is obvious, as stated, up until the water temps reach about 40 - 45 degress. This is the time for slow horizontal (hard jerkbaits & slow rolling large spinnerbaits) presentations. From the upper 40's to about 55 degrees, I'd classify as the actual pre-spawn. I might still find some deeper, but most will start moving up. This is when you should start to fish closer to the bottom (slowly); with stuff like tubes, jigs, drop shot, etc.. JMHO folks! But this approach works for me .

Catt reply :

We are not talking spawn here but rather Pre-Spawn; with water temperatures on many East Texas and West Louisiana lakes in the 50-54 temperature range pre-spawn has already started. Now this is not to say the bass are ready to spawn; that is still a good two months off. Any adverse weather will move the bass immediately back to deeper water; that depth my be only a couple of feet depending on the severity of the weather.

There are no set reasons for pre-spawn as far as I know and water temp had very little if anything to do with it. I look at pre-spawn in no less than 3 stages which are listed below and early pre-spawn can start with water temperatures ranging any where from 35-40 if the weather is stable for a couple of day.

Early Pre-Spawn:

Individuals or groups of bass begin making short reconnaissance trips into coves. Only when the water temperature is stable for a couple of days will any appreciable number of bass remain for long. Look for bass on main lake and secondary points

Mid Pre-Spawn:

Bass leave deep water drop-offs and enter protected coves; the majority of these fish will be males. The weather and water temperatures will still be unstable. Look for bass on feeding flats adjacent to deeper water.

Pre-Spawn:

Weather and water temperatures have became stable and large fluctuations of bass are now present in shallow water. Start looking for a solid bottom, Bass avoids soft, muck bottoms; instead they prefer to spawn on hard sandy bottoms, gravel or rocky banks, large boulders or even a fallen log or lily pad root.

Keep in mind pre-spawn bass will be looking to feed before they start looking to spawn

WRB reply :

Catt; what do you call the winter period(40 to 50) or mid winter (50 to 55)? From your discription it's all pre spawn (40 to 60).

Whatever you are confortable with, we just need to agree to disagree. When I first used the term pre spawn back in the early 70's, before In-Fisherman, the term met the staging period that occurs within weeks before, not months, of the spawning cycle, ie; pre spawn.

WRB

Catt reply :

Back in the 70's we knew very little about the spawn and believed that the water temperatures had to be in the mid to upper 60 degree range for bass to spawn. It has since been proven this is false and bass will indeed spawn in much cooler water if all the other parameters are present. Many people think that the males precede the females to the spawning areas; this is not true because both sexes get very aggressive and very food-oriented during what we call the pre-spawn stage. They come out of the cold winter and the water warms up and their metabolism kicks in. Both sexes really become aggressive as feeders.

There is a winter period down here but it only last from mid-December through mid-January at the longest. The major misconception is people try to put hard numbers with concerns to temperature or hard dates of the spawn but it can't be done because there are too many variables other than temperature and date. These misconceptions are why many people believe they are fishing the whole pre-spawn or spawn when in reality the have missed a majority of both.

These are not just my beliefs but facts verified by studies done by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologist Clarence Bowling and Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries biologist.

I still don't think that fishermen and even biologists really do understand the whole spawning rite, admits Ken Cook, a former Oklahoma fisheries biologist.

ffmedic147 reply :

Wow alot of things you all said makes since. Here in VA the spawning time went from late april to until the BASS Pros were here in june. The water was cooking hot. But the fish still were on the beds.

Now what should be my first step now before the prespawn happens to prepare? Read a TOPO map? What do i look for?

You all listed flats a lot. What in you alls terms is a flat. To me it is a 20 to 50 yard run of water ranging from 2 foot to 6 foot. Do you all concure? Or is it deeper? Will i look for the ones on the main or in the beginning of the creeks? How about Humps?

I am full of questions but i will stop at this for now?

Thanks for all the input i am learning a lot lets keep it up i enjoy learning.

Catt reply :

Flats are structures with a very slow taper from the shoreline to deep water; flats can vary in both depth. They're often loaded with submerged stumps, logs, and weeds, providing excellent forage and spawning opportunities for bass. On a topo map look for contour lines that are farther apart than surrounding areas.

WRB reply :

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Back in the 70's we knew very little about the spawn and believed that the water temperatures had to be in the mid to upper 60 degree range for bass to spawn. It has since been proven this is false and bass will indeed spawn in much cooler water if all the other parameters are present. Many people think that the males precede the females to the spawning areas; this is not true because both sexes get very aggressive and very food-oriented during what we call the pre-spawn stage. They come out of the cold winter and the water warms up and their metabolism kicks in. Both sexes really become aggressive as feeders.
There is a winter period down here but it only last from mid-December through mid-January at the longest. The major misconception is people try to put hard numbers with concerns to temperature or hard dates of the spawn but it can't be done because there are too many variables other than temperature and date. These misconceptions are why many people believe they are fishing the whole pre-spawn or spawn when in reality the have missed a majority of both.

These are not just my beliefs but facts verified by studies done by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologist Clarence Bowling and Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries biologist.

I still don't think that fishermen and even biologists really do understand the whole spawning rite, admits Ken Cook, a former Oklahoma fisheries biologist.

Post the links to the studies that show LMB spawning successfully in water temperatures less than 58 degrees. Thanks

WRB

Trevor in Burke reply :

I fish a Mizmo tube rigged with an insider hook year round, and i mean year round even the 3 spawning stages, even in the winter, presentation is key... is it an escaping crawdad? is it an injured baitfish? or is it just an unknown object laying in my bed? i don't know, i don't know.

RoLo reply :

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First of all what do you all consider prespawn?

The "pre-spawn" period for virtually all game fish is a magic time of year when "trophy cows" are most aggressive.

I believe that water temperatures are just coincidental, merely something we can easily monitor

but serve as a coincidental symptom rather than the actual cause.

It's generally accepted that the winter period embraces water temperatures from 33 to about 50 degrees F. (roughly 17-degree span).

The early pre-spawn usually gets underway while water temperatures are still in the low 50s.

The mid-pre-spawn takes place essentially with temperatures in the upper 50s, but varying.

The late-pre-spawn (my favorite) is a nebulous period when water temperatures tend to sandwich the 60-degree benchmark.

Spawning bass have been observed in water temperatures from 55 to 75 deg F., underscoring the unreliability of water temperature.

(spawn timing seems to have a stronger basis in photoperiod).

Quote
On a resevior what areas do you all focus on?

As you'd imagine, no two reservoirs are exactly the same, but all impoundments share several traits in common.

During the "winter period", largemouth bass in reservoirs relate almost invariably to the "River Channel".

During the bedding season however they normally relate to broad shallow expanses on 1 to 4-foot flats

(The term "Flat" is self-explanatory, any flat bottom regardless of depth, with no or very slight depth change).

During the pre-spawn season, bass are found essentially at holding sites that anglers call "staging sites",

which are always somewhere between the winter grounds and spawning grounds.

Depending on the weather, which is very unstable at this time of year, bass may be retreated in Creek Channels (not the river channel),

but during stable warm-fronts bass won't hesitate to move all the way up onto the bedding flat during the late pre-spawn.

Quote
What r some early prespawn techniques that you all use?

If there's one time of year when "everything" seems to work, the pre-spawn period is that time. Among my pre-spawn favorites are

the zoom super fluke, jig & plastic trailer, Rat-L-Trap and of course the venerable T-rigged plastic worm.

Roger

Catt reply :

Dude seriously bass don't sit around with thermometer in hand waiting far a certain temperature to be reached.

mattm reply :

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My most effective prespawn technique has always been dinner and a movie.

We can always count on you Avid ;D

Glenn reply :

WRB - what did you consider "prespawn" back in the 70's? Where/how/when were you fishing? What is your background and why is splitting hairs over this so very important to you?

Please post links to pictures of you fishing in the 70s, as well as links to your fisheries biology credentials. Also post links to your published studies on bass spawning behavoir.

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

Personally, I'll spawn in temps as low as 40 degrees, but that's just me,lol However, I was only 3 in 1970 so I wasn't very active yet.

Catt reply :

That's what makes bass appear so elusive about the time you think you have them figured out they prove you don't.

There are few biologists more capable of unlocking the mysteries involved with the spawning ritual and debunking the myths associated with it than Ken Cook, a former Oklahoma fisheries biologist and Pro Angler with thousands of hours spent on the water observing spawning bass and gauging their reactions to lures, predators, boat presence, changing weather conditions and more.

I've spent hours on end reading studies done by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologist Clarence Bowling who is biologist in charge of the Jasper, Texas Fish hatchery.

I've also spent countless hours in healthy discussion with personal friend Roger Conner who built Black Marsh and The Lakes of the Gum Coves in Southwest Louisiana. These marshes produced thousands of double digit bass in an area known for only producing bass in the 3-5 pound range.

Crestliner2008 reply :

Interesting discussion! I have the first #1 - #79 editions of the In'Fisherman (from back in the 70's) and even in the their first overview magazine, they talk about the pre-spawn, etc.. Now they have recently put out the discovery that bass can and do spawn as late as June/July; and in some cases, deeper than most folks believe. Pretty neat what we still don't know yet .

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

Quote
That's what makes bass appear so elusive about the time you think you have them figured out they prove you don't.
There are few biologists more capable of unlocking the mysteries involved with the spawning ritual and debunking the myths associated with it than Ken Cook, a former Oklahoma fisheries biologist and Pro Angler with thousands of hours spent on the water observing spawning bass and gauging their reactions to lures, predators, boat presence, changing weather conditions and more.

I've spent hours on end reading studies done by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologist Clarence Bowling who is biologist in charge of the Jasper, Texas Fish hatchery.

I've also spent countless hours in healthy discussion with personal friend Roger Conner who built Black Marsh and The Lakes of the Gum Coves in Southwest Louisiana. These marshes produced thousands of double digit bass in an area known for only producing bass in the 3-5 pound range.

I didn't.............but I DID stay at a Holiday Inn last night..... ;D

guest reply :

strange but true.

The bass in the Ansin Garcia Reservoir have been spawning for weeks. Beds are clearly visible.

Yet in my home lake which is only about 30 miles away, there is no sign that the spawn has begun. both lakes have water temps in the low 70's, both have healthy populations of bass. both have rewarded Avid with many fun days of fishing and several he would rather not talk about, thank you very much.

Gatorbassman reply :

Quote
WRB - what did you consider "prespawn" back in the 70's? Where/how/when were you fishing? What is your background and why is splitting hairs over this so very important to you?
Please post links to pictures of you fishing in the 70s, as well as links to your fisheries biology credentials. Also post links to your published studies on bass spawning behavoir.

This should be interesting.

Glenn reply :

As the years go by and the more and more I fish through winter and into spring, I'm more and more convinced the whole spawning thing has everything to do with the days getting longer more than anything else. Rising temperature, it seems, is simply something that happens along the way, but is not related, other than it increases their metabolism.

I have no facts to back this up. Only my observations on the water. And yes, I've seen bass spawn in 54 - 75 degree water.

I just think they're genetically programmed to spawn during a particular time of the year, based off of length of day. Some are early, some are late. Nature's way of preserving the species.

mattm reply :

Quote
I'm more and more convinced the whole spawning thing has everything to do with the days getting longer more than anything else.

I agree 100%. I don't have facts or years of fishing info to back it up, but I think this is how they know it times, IMO. I think we tend to tie it to water temps b/c obviously as the days get longer the water temp rises typically. We used to show cattle and you put them in a cooler with the lights out b/c the cold temps and darkness promotes hair growth. The more hair the better. They do the opposite with horses. Put them in barns with the lights on, usually not even heated. The horses are still on long day patterns and don't grow hair. Horse people like very little hair.

Glenn reply :

I guess that means Muddy isn't a horse person. Have you seen his wife? GAWD!! ;D

5bass reply :

Good post Glenn and I agree with you about the length of daylight being the trigger in all of this.....it just so happens that when the daylight gets longer, the water is usually in the 55-65 range every year just because that's the weather pattern at that time of year and thats what the temps should be. It's like a yearly coincidence.

As someone mentioned above, the Elite Tournament in 2007 here on Smith Mtn was into the second week in June. It was HOT! Water was warm, the fish on the upper end in the river had mostly spawned out but there were lots of fish in certain areas down the lake that were still spawning. The pro's that didn't close the door on the idea of bass still spawning in June caught good fish off beds.

mattm reply :

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I guess that means Muddy isn't a horse person. Have you seen his wife? GAWD!!

Haven't seen her, but i've heard him talk about her enough to know he was more of a cattle man. We like em fat as well ;D.

I hope i'm not opening myself up to the wrath of Muddy.

ww2farmer reply :

I fish a shallow natural lake with milfoil and assorted vegatation a the primary cover. Early prespawn, I like a Rat-l-Trap ticking the top of the weeds, or a suspending jerk bait. In spots that have been super productive in the past, I slow down alot and fish a fluke or senko.

Catt reply :

Here's some food for thought

Toledo Bend is 75 miles long; logical wisdom would lead one to think the south end would have spawning bass first because it's only 100 miles from the Gulf of Mexico while the north end is 75 miles farther north.

The reality is the north end spawns first, how can this be?

Answer:

The north end of the lake is mostly shallow flats with the only deep water being river and creek channels; the water is also a lot murkier which retains heat better than clear water. This end of the lake is protected from north winds but is subjected to more direct sunlight.

The south end is comprised of hilly country with numerous deep ravines, creek channels, and the river channel. The water is very clear which retains little heat; its also more open subjected to north winds.

The bass up north will start spawning in early to mid-February while the bass down south will spawn as late as mid-April.

MattStrykul reply :

Suspending jerkbaits on mainlake pockets seem to work good. Also the mouths of these pockets have worked for me.

IneedAnewScreenName-33449 reply :

As mentioned, Bass will spawn at varying temperatures

below or near 60 degrees....the lunar period is what

influences the actual spawn, coinciding with the temperature

being close to actual spawning temps. If a full or new moon

happens to be present ( 3 days before or after ) this will

greatly influence bass to spawn....as long as there is no

major cold front that drops temps dramatically. If it's 60

degree's and a front comes through dropping the temp.

to say 55....bass will still spawn.

Dirk_Jig---Lure reply :

I'm really trying to learn new baits for pre spawn and post spawn. Does anyone have any non traditional approaches? I'm all about fishing out of the box. Oddball baits, rare techniques anything like that.

MFBAB reply :

Don't know if this applies to Bass but Crappie will move in and out of spawning water several times during the spring. Females will deposit part of their eggs each time but never the whole batch at once, I guess this ensures that at least some of the fry will survive depending on the effects of unstable spring weather and water levels.

As far as a good prespawn pattern, I like to focus on the breaklines, ditches, etc. that are directly attached to the spawning flats, these will usually produce all the way through the early postspawn at least. Think Skeet in the 09 classic, he was in a transition area (Ditch) leading onto a flooded spawning flat, catching them coming and going.

A-Rob reply :

I'm not even allowed to fish bass until June 28th!

barroncooper reply :

Quote
As the years go by and the more and more I fish through winter and into spring, I'm more and more convinced the whole spawning thing has everything to do with the days getting longer more than anything else. Rising temperature, it seems, is simply something that happens along the way, but is not related, other than it increases their metabolism.
I have no facts to back this up. Only my observations on the water. And yes, I've seen bass spawn in 54 - 75 degree water.

I just think they're genetically programmed to spawn during a particular time of the year, based off of length of day. Some are early, some are late. Nature's way of preserving the species.

I agree here and think that there are many factors involved. maybe even the moons gravitational pull. there is something in their genetic make up that senses when the time is right. I personally think that water temp has less to do with it than what we think

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