spawning bass

[ploftis]

i've always wondered if they have bass tournaments while the bass are on their beds and if so how does that affect the spawning bass, even if they survive they aren't released back at their beds(or are they) just wonderin

[jbooth]

Yes they do hold bass tournaments during the spawn, and yes the fish don't always make it back to their beds. However in most tournaments you usually are supposed to dump your own fish so you have the opportunity to take them back to the beds if you choose. If they will still spawn or not I don't really know, but someone on here on ifish probably does. Plus you can't catch all of the spawning bass and bass start spawning at different times. :twocents:

[ploftis]

thanx. just something i've wondered for a while and was sure someone on ifish would know

[tnj8222]

yes if released the fish can be stressed and the spawn may not be very sucsessful. although i have caught fish realesed them and had them bite again the next day off the bed. ( i know not very ethical to catch the same fish twice, im not proud of it and wouldnt do it again).
i cant say for a tourny though, being tossed around a livewell going 60 has got to have some kind of effect on the eggs.

[sbasser]

I believe the bass will find a nest, even if it isn't their original nest. It's not unusual for the spawn to be delayed several weeks because of unsuitable weather, falling water, and lowering water temps, so I think the fish will work it out. :flowered:

There are plenty of bass pups born every year, and a lot of the ones lost to predation are lost to bass. It's because there isn't enough prey in our waters, I think, but maybe it happens everyplace. :shrug:

Some of those hens sit on nests day after day, because they are sterile, and may be there a month or more. They have the urge, apparently, but don't produce eggs, or maybe pheremones. If you get a chance, ask Sarge or one of the other warmwater biologists about this. :cheers:
C&R, Steve

[flippinbaits]

There are plenty of bass pups born every year, and a lot of the ones lost to predation are lost to bass. It's because there isn't enough prey in our waters, I think, but maybe it happens everyplace. :shrug:
C&R, Steve


yup bass eat bass. it's life. thats why baby bass senkos work so well, cuz they eat baby bass. just make sure when spawning comes, you practice catch and release with extra caution, and also educate others you see who may be pondering on keeping the fish! have a good one

[pitchnboy]

if it were in a tournament and i pulled a fish off the bed and it was a female she would be going right back in the water. either way i could leave the bedding fish alone because those are there for a reason and one reason only, to spawn and make more bass.:twocents:

thanks, pitch

[nitrobass]

Pboy if thats how you feel then you shouldnt fish tournaments.

[Chad S.]

Well here is what I know. My dad and I have won a few tournaments during the spawn on lake washington the last few years. We fish for bedding fish, and we release them back to their beds after the tournaments. I will return a week or two later, and drop a camera down, and see a cloud of baby bass most all the time! Smallmouth are tough, but I think the one thing that would stress them out would be when they are caught numerous times a day by different anglers throughout the spawn. I know this happens on Spanaway and other smaller lakes in the pugetropolis area. They are spending valuable energy fighting for their lives instead of spawning. Have any of you ever noticed that say......you catch a spawning fish one day, and it put's up a heck of a fight. Well you go back the next day, and catch the same fish, and it fights like you're pulling in a log? Thats what I know!

[ploftis]

thanx for all the info