I like the article except for this portion....

You need to know about spawning time because you want to catch the spawning fish. Don?t worry about affecting the sunfish population, at an average of 18,000 fry hatching from each bed, it is almost impossible to over fish them. Males want to have the most centrally located nests where they have the greatest chance of fertilizing the most eggs. [A centrally located nesting bed could get more than 50,000 eggs while perimeter beds have considerably less.] Males are very protective will aggressively defend the nest from predators and females.

Why is there a fishing season that is outside the spawn of most species of freshwater fish, except for the bream (including crappies)? I have seen with my own eyes over the past 62 years degradation of our bream brooding stock because of fishing on the spawning bead.

I remember when the Bluegills were giants over 13 inches, now they are never over 9 inches if you lucky to catch one that size.

I know it does not change things, but I have choosen not to fish the spawning beds. ~Parnelli