Spawning chart
Has anyone ever heard of such a thing when it comes to warm water. I know about what time panfish and bass start spawning and I know that it is just a good guess just thought someone who is more knowledgable than me might have written something down. Also do they have it broken down into regional areas of the country as well as region of the state.
Thanks in Advance
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I read somewhere that LM Bass spawn when the dogwoods bloom. That kinda makes sense since the bloom time varies by latitude as does the bass spawn time.
i think the dog wood theroy would work except ,,,say like in eastern co. ...no dogwoods .....me i watch for the spawn ....if there was a chart i think i would get it....i am still learning an i will use all crip sheets
At least in Ohio, it changes from year to year by a fair number of days (sometimes more than a month)
plus the different species of sun fish spawn often and each can start at different times (or multiple times) a year
big female bass sitting in one place and not taking anything that does not appear to be attacking the nest is a clear sign of them spawning. Which is often followed by a couple weeks (at least) of funk where they bite soft or not at all. The funk varies by year too
The gills and their close cousins on the other hand are far from funk, They will take a fair number of different presentations.
plate sized gravel beds are all you need to look for in shallow hard bottom areas
Bass will be on the move when the water reaches the mid 40's in the spring and will focus on the warmest places even if that is only a degree or two more than the main water body. pre-spawn behaviors start in the 50's and go in ernest in the low 60's
I would think that it would be pretty tough to try to plan a spawn search trip to any particular body of water more than a few weeks in advance and even then you will really be rolling the dice about hitting it
I always believed that the water temperature determines when the fish spawn. There are so many things that determine the water temperature that it is impossible give you a day or even a month that would hold true for every year. Watch the water temp.
I believe that ridgeliner is correct, it is the water temperature, usually coupled with the photoperiod that determines when they will spawn. You will find bass and bream in a small, dark-bottomed pond spawning earlier than fish in a 1000 acre lake that is only 100 feet away. It simply takes longer to warm a larger, deep body of water so the fish spawn later.
Jim Smith
I suspect some old-timer somewhere nearby has written it down every year for the past 60, and could tell you what the others have, that it varies. Same with everything else connected to mother nature. A chart might get it CLOSE, but would likely seldom hit it exactly.
A lot of USGS and other agency water level gauges have temperature monitors as well, so you can in many cases keep an eye on water temps remotely.
55 degrees here and snowing. Global climate change. Sigh.
I would agree with others that it is much more of a temperature issue. Many fish, being cold blooded, have a metabolism that is greatly affected by temperature. Generally, hotter water temps, more active the fish, colder water temps, less active.
Basically, until the water hits a certain temp. range the fish aren't active enough to spawn. For bass, I hear at about 55 degrees F they start making nests and breeding.
I have read somewhere, that bluegills will spawn during the full moons of summer. But I suspect that isn't necessarily so.
"If we lie to the government, it's called a felony, when they lie to us, it's called politics." Bill Murray
It's always all over the place.
What we do 'know' is that 'generally' Largemouth Bass will begin to spawn in numbers on the first full moon after the water has reached a 'stable' tempeature of around 65 degrees. But it varies greatly 'when' that happens based on the lake, the geographic location, and local weather patterns (which change, of course, just about every year).
Temperature. Largemouth Bass 'prefer' 65 degrees before they will go on the beds. But, the larger fish will often spawn in cooler temps. Bass also like 'stable' water condition before they will spawn. It needs to be the correct temperature for at least a few days before they will begin....
Moon Phase....then there is moon phase. Bass spawn on either the full or dark of the moon, with the full moon being 'prefered'.
Individuals vary.... The 'spawn' can last for two months or longer on a body of water. Here in Southern Arizona, we can get fish spawning as early as late February, if it's been warm, and still see fish on the beds in May. Some of our fish will spawn in the late summer/fall...don't know if these are fish spawning AGAIN, or fish that just spawn at a different time.....
All this 'variation' is important to keeping the population healthy. Since weather changes and water level fluctuations can impact the spawn in many of our waters, having the spawn spread out ensures that some eggs will hatch.
This is just for Largemouth Bass, they are probably the most predictable of the warm water fish....not that up on 'gills and crappie, nor smallies either.
Buddy
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