Lake Oswego Lunker Bites Again!

[Whopper Stopper]

I think it's the male this time. He seems to be hanging around and the female is gone. Do you think she already laid her eggs and he's protecting them? A little YUM lizzard did the trick this time.



Jay

[DJD]

Absolutely!

[Dave Smith]

Are you sure that's a male?????????????????????????? Did you ever see a female? There are very few bass that are flat-out paired right now......

[Super Fluke]

Nice fish

[Salty1]

Dave, I was thinking the same thing.
Between the upper 30's at night and the cold rains and run off, most waters are still too cold for bucket mouths to get all romantic. I've yet to see any of the small males building beds and have been searching for them, but it can be a regional or even local single lake occurrence so I guess nothing should be dismissed. I'd like to hear more about this...but in the mean time, here is some hard core science to help clarify what the needs of this #1 fish needs to reproduce.

Spawning Habits - Spawning occurs from December through May, but usually begins in February and March in most of Florida when water temperatures reach 58 to 65 degrees and continues as temperatures rise into the 70s. The male builds saucer-shaped nests 20 to 30 inches in diameter by placing its lower jaw near the bottom and rotating around this central location. Bass prefer to build nests in hard-bottom areas along shallow shorelines or in protected areas such as canals and coves. Depending on her size, the female can lay up to 100,000 eggs, which are fertilized as they settle into the nest. After spawning is completed, usually five to 10 days, the male guards the nest and eggs and later the young (sometimes called fry) attacking anything that approaches the nest. The female bass stays near the nest or may swim a short distance and remain listless for up to a day. After hatching, the fry swim in tight schools, disbanding when the small fish reach a length of about one inch. :tongue:

[Whopper Stopper]

Check my previous thread. I caught the female a couple of weeks ago and included a picture with the male chasing around as I fought her. I've caught him twice in the last week on a Senko and a Lizard. I haven't seen her for a week. When I look down in the water it looks like a bed has been cleared that he is staying on top of. I will bring a thermomoter on Monday and see what it says.

Jay

[Matthewc]

Since you have already caught them both, it might be time to stop working the red and let them spawn? Just a thought. :o

[Whopper Stopper]

The temp this morning was 57 degrees. I'm sure it is well over 60 on the sunny afternoons we've had the last couple of weeks.

[fishnfun]

The fish spawned in Lake O mainly on the first full moon of april. The water really warmed up fast this year. I have also noticed all the big females gone, I guess no more 6lbers this year.

Although there is this one little cove I want to try...