Late/Second Spawn Bass?

[MuskieWannabe]

Hey guys,

Just wondering if anyone is seeing second or late spawn bass? We are seeing quite a few bass still on nests, or possibly on nests for a second time, we aren't quite sure. We have caught a few of them and they don't appear to have any eggs in them yet protect the nests as they would have a few months ago. Is it something other people are seeing or are our bass experiencing post-pardum?

Cheers,

MW

[ShawnD]

I haven't noticed this at all, where are you seeing this?
What I mean by that is a general location.. I don't want your spot, do you know what the water temp is?
It's over 77*F on the Rideau river and much colder on Lake St Francis, where I saw 70*F

[Tip-up]

I know this happens on a few lakes, Lake Clear and Round lake in particular. I don't think it's a second spawn but fish returning back to nests for other reasons unknown. I was told next months tournament on Round will take over 21lbs to win and fish will mostly be all around beds. Not sure why they return, but they do make a trip deep then move back up. Most of the fish this past weekend on Clear were taken in 1-3fow on/around nests. Sure there are fish deeper as well but these were of the winning caliber.

[JZ]

Different groups of bass will spawn at different stages of the spring/summer (before during and after the ideal spawn temp). There is an early spawn and unless its an unusually warm spring these fry will have a very low success rate. There is a mid spawn where the majority of the fish spawn and will usually have the highest survival rate. Then there is a late spawn and unfortunately for these poor bastards the cards are stacked against them. Not because of anglers, but because of more predators, you have all he previous year classes plus the bass,walleye and pike born a couple months before them are also big enough to feed on them. If they do survive all these predators they still arent out of the woods because their late start usually means they wont put on enough body mass before ice up and they will not survive the winter. Natural selection at its best. Moral of the story, dont feel too bad about taking these late spawners of the beds the fry probably arent making it anyway.

[lapointeric]

Different groups of bass will spawn at different stages of the spring/summer (before during and after the ideal spawn temp). There is an early spawn and unless its an unusually warm spring these fry will have a very low success rate. There is a mid spawn where the majority of the fish spawn and will usually have the highest survival rate. Then there is a late spawn and unfortunately for these poor bastards the cards are stacked against them. Not because of anglers, but because of more predators, you have all he previous year classes plus the bass,walleye and pike born a couple months before them are also big enough to feed on them. If they do survive all these predators they still arent out of the woods because their late start usually means they wont put on enough body mass before ice up and they will not survive the winter. Natural selection at its best. Moral of the story, dont feel too bad about taking these late spawners of the beds the fry probably arent making it anyway.

Super informative post, thanks for sharing.

It ain't easy being a late-spawner.

E

[Mick]

Tip Up

You mentioned tournies on Round and Clear. What circuit is fishing those lakes? Just curious.

Mick

[Tip-up]

Valley Bass Mick. Contact Rick Klatt for info.

[MuskieWannabe]

We are in the same area as Round Lake and Lake Clear, we just have not seen it quite like this before. We have a ton of fry swimming around so I am not too concerned at all but this is the first time I can remember this many bass this late into the season on nests.

Thanks for the info lads.