BassBlaster

Spawn-time tips! Nature based spawn timing, Bass collection boxes??

By (mostly Jay)

Posted on May 19, 2020

Hope you’re havin’ a great start to the week and you and families are all good bass peeps! In the next Blaster after this’n — big bass, big bass tips, maybe some derps, post-spawn tips, hopefully a bunch o’ new bait stuff!

>> If you’re getting the BassBlaster for the first time it’s cuz a bud signed you up!

Today’s Top 4

Spawn: Bigger ones can be deeper and spookier.

That weird or what? I can buy that the bigger ones are deeper and therefore seen/fished for less, but then why are they spookier? BPTer Russ “tee” Lane:

> “The biggest bass are generally spawning in a little deeper water. You can go around and slowly creep about looking for them, or do like I prefer to do: throw a search bait so they’ll follow.

> “I’ll throw the swimbait around and when a big one chases or rolls on it, I’ll mark where it happened, and then I’ll peel off and come back in about 10 minutes.

> “When I return, I’ll throw a 6” Big Bite Trick Stick on a 5/0 EWG Superline Gamakatsu hook tied to 20-lb Sunline Shooter line. I like the bigger bait here because you need to stay back pretty far and make long casts for this to work.”

Quote from someone else (not sue who) about this:

> …what you don’t see are the deeper beds and the beds where the gravel or hard bottom will be the same color as everything else in the area. When you see a bass it will be able to see you as well, so right off these fish are a little spooky-acting.

How deep do they spawn? Deep. Couple examples:

IN:

> Nests are built by the males in water anywhere from 1′ to 15′ deep.

AL:

> In Lewis Smith, 8-12′ is common. But a deep spawner in Guntersville, Wheeler or Wilson would be anything over 5′ — about the limit of surface visibility.

2c from me: Some folks say that the limit to spawning depth is visibility = sunlight penetration to warm the eggs. Makes sense, but personally am not 100% sure ’bout that — because a) don’t think we can assume bass see or care to see like we do, b) water clarity often ain’t stable in the spring and and c) if we can’t see ’em, how do we know they’re not there? Modern ‘lectronics should tell us now tho….

Spawn: Goes on longer than you think.

Supposin’: If MOST bass spawn at a particular water temp or particular time, some spawn earlier and some spawn later.

Have heard some folks say that in FL, bass have been seen spawning — or at least showing spawning behavior — for a good chunk of the year, like 6-9 months or even more. Check what MN pro Jim “the OG mullet” Moynagh says:

> Some will take advantage of the shallow, protected areas that heat up first while other bass prefer to wait and spawn on main-lake shallows. Main-lake temperatures can lag behind considerably, making spawning bass available for several weeks.

> …aside from this, some bass are simply biologically ready to spawn earlier in the spring than others.

> …2 extremes. FL and MN experience 2 very different spawn cycle durations. In conversations with…Scott Martin regarding…Lake Okeechobee, he has told me that bass will spawn Dec through Apr.

> In MN the bass spawn is compressed much more tightly. When winter’s ice cover finally melts off, water temperatures…race their way to spawning temps. MN bass invade the spawning grounds in big numbers nearly all at once.

> Weather does play a major factor in determining the length of the spawn. …cold fronts…can knock bass off their nests before eggs are laid…. Such cold weather obviously delays, pauses and draws out the spawn.

> On the opposite side, a prolonged hot spell will accelerate spawning activity causing it to cycle through more quickly.

Spawn vs post-spawn weight – not much different?

We think of pre-spawn/spawn vs post-spawn bass like this…

…but I guess not really? Legendary bassin’ biologist Hal Schramm talkin’:

> The ovary weight of a mature female bass immediately before spawning averages about 5.5% of body weight, 7% max.

> Despite the excited claims of many anglers about “what she would have weighed if I caught her before she spawned,” bass only lose about 5% of the weight when they spawn.

So a spawned out 10-lber would weight 9.5 lbs? Hmm.

Korean gov’t wants bass put in “collection boxes.”

Can’t link it but it’s from here: koreabizwire.com/govt-reminds-anglers-to-put-bass-in-collection-boxes/160118

> The best way to deal with captured bass or bluegills is to put them in a “collection box for ecosystem-disturbing creatures.”

> Bass and bluegills collected from the boxes are made into compost and provided free of charge to nearby farms.

> Last year, 8,200 fish classified as ‘ecosystem-disturbing’ were collected in these collection boxes.

If legit, this makes me sad and sick. How’d you like to catch one like this and have to put it in the fertilizer box:

Feel super bad for our Korean bassin’ bros, that stinks man….

News

1. We lost WV tourney legend Bob Burgess.

Competed a ton, founded the Trail of Dreams — didn’t know him but sounds like a great dude:

> “Bob always wanted to play AC/DC Thunderstruck every morning before blastoff and then with the National Anthem playing, the flag blowing in the wind, boats setting in the water, he would always get a tear in his eye.”

How beautiful is that man! Post says he passed away unexpectedly at age 71. Bless you bassin’ brother.

2. Micah Frazier webinar on Mon, May 25…

…before the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ “virtual bass tournament.”

Micah also just got a new quality control employee:

I was like, “Pretty sure the whole child labor law thing makes that illegal?” He’s like, “Maybe in Jersey but not here.” Sounded like he was in the know so I left it there…was wonderin’ if the little dude could even talk yet but it’s obviously none of my bidness man….

3. Aaron Martens on Stray Casts tomorrow night.

Always good to hear from AAM, please keep praying for him and Shaw Grigsby as they battle the big C. Dang I can’t even believe those words!

4. Guess who’s on BassEdge Radio.

Hint created by Fat Cat Newton:

5. Bunch of guys get Seaguar.

BPTers — Luke Clausen, Gerald Spohrer

Elites — Chris and Cory Johnston, Drew Cook

FLWers — Sonar Burghoff, Matt Becker

Opens — Marc Frazier

6. Paul Elias has a new reel with a new company.

Bruin Outdoors Paul Elias Legend Series baitcaster:

Word is Paul wanted a reel only for kneelin’ n reelin’ and A-rigs. Okay not really but innerestin’ to see another reel on the market from a company that doesn’t appear to make rods (yet?).

7. Alton Sr now learning from Al Jr.

That’s a big statement from a long-time pro and Classic winner. Here’s a recent day of them together, fun-fishing. Warning: Lots of cussing…HAHAHA kiddin’! It’s bleeped out…still kiddin’….

8. MLF/BPT pros are fishing the FLW Super Tournaments.

Cool but sounds like the old FLW field sizes are back:

> …the final 3 regular-season pro circuit events will feature 209 boats and nearly $4 million in prize money.

Glad the BPTers will be usin’ those ol’ livewells hahaha!

Skeeter Reese said a little about bein’ stoked to fish ’em, partly cuz it doesn’t sound like any more BPTs will be scheduled this year, beyond the ones already out there.

Skeet was recently spotted on Clear Lake in stealth mode — only the yella shoes, rods and boat would give him away but the reeds were keepin’ that secret:

Didn’t even know Skeet could actually fish without yella on….

9. Elitist Patrick Walters talks Tokyo Rig (vid).

Innerestin’ how many pros have said they were skeptical when they first saw the rig — typical bass-heads lol — but then they dug it. Here’s Tokyos on TW.

10. Guess Adrian Avena is a ping pong hammer?

Names it/claims it in that post ^. Also says the official name of ping pong is “billiards” and he was inspired by the outfits:

11. The Real “James” Watson is packin’.

Looks like Casey Scanlon scared him pretty bad…

…so he went to Bass Pro Shops and bought him some Sigs:

Srsly, many (all?) pros pack, understandably…and Worldwide was in the Army so believe he knows his way around things that go bang…possibly a little too well (heehee!). #hecray

12. Check FLWer Jamey Caldwell on a new podcast.

Says Jamey was a Tier 1 operator, which I believe means he was the first guy on the phone when you were making a long-distance call — hahaha double meaning there peeps!

Also, Jamey hasn’t talked or posted about it, but I believe he hit a rogue wave this year at a derby, cracked some ribs, cracked an orbital socket, broke and dislocated stuff — then swam 5 miles back to the ramp, humped it 10 miles to the hospital, and treated himself in the ER.

Okay I made the swim/run/ER stuff up but I bet he could! All his serious injuries really did happen in that deal…he’s healing up fast because his skeleton is made outta adamantium:

13. KY: Big-time baller Olivier Sarr has his priorities straight.UK transfer from Wake Forest:

Believe Olivier is from France but does speak bass….

14. TN has a new wildlife head: Bobby Wilson.

Was chief of fisheries there, so hopefully he’ll focus on Asian carp and bass….

15. PA and NJ open up guiding.

Good! Few deets on PA here and NJ (mostly salt) here.

16. TX: Skeeter’s back in operation.

Skeeter head Jeff Stone talkin’:

> “Protecting the health and safety of our workers is most important to us. Working with so many changes is challenging, but our employees are accepting them and are happy to be back to work. We are now producing 6 boats per day after nearly 45 days of pausing production.”

17. MI avg tourney bass weight was 2.21 lbs in ’19.

Legend “Louie” Stout said it so it’s gotta be true. Makes me wonder whether Zona actually fishes in MI or somewhere else cuz he shows off some bigs…?

18. MD: Lots of rain affecting smallies in upper Potomac?

Theory is:

> …causing parts of the river to routinely flood in May and June, during and immediately after the smallmouth bass spawning season.

19. SC: Erskine College gives out 2 bassin’ schollies.

Possibly more but these are the 2 I saw — young men from Wando, SC and Flowery Branch, GA gettin’ ‘er done!

20. ND: HS bassin’ state champeenship was held…

…even tho the air temp was 23 degrees at launch. Props to folks for makin’ it happen.

21. Z-Man has a new frowg: the Leap Frogz (vid).

22. The Sharrow prop is going to be available.If you remember this:

Supposed to be sick but also $$$…and still is. Will cost $2K and the company is taking $100 deposits on it here. Supposed to:

> Perform significantly better at idle

> Plane at a lower RPM

> Faster at all RPM settings

> Gets significantly more mpg at 3000 and 3500 RPM

> Is more fuel-efficient at every speed through water setting

> Creates noticeably less vibration and is generally quieter

> Has superior handling in tight turns at high-speed

23. TX: 15 yr old was on winning Bass Champs LBJ team.

Nice! Guessin’ he split the $20K for 1st? If so, bettin’ his parents took it for college:

24. OK: Teens do the right thing, get lifetime licenses.

Confronted a dude who was netting bass off beds in a pond, then called the game warden. Took guts. Dude they didn’t know saw a video of it and bought ’em lifetime licenses. Props to ’em all.

Can’t link it, at oklahoman.com.

Headline of the Day

MDC reminds Missourians squirrel and black bass seasons open Memorial Day weekend

If you’re wonderin’ in what world does squirrel huntin’ get mentioned before bass fishin’, it’s this world:

Can’t link the headline, but it’s at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom

On BassBlaster.rocks right now…

> Ready, set, go – Spawn time baits â€˜n stuff – part 1!

> Time to get after ’em! Spawn time baits n stuff part 2!

> Randall Tharp’s baits now, Weedless Texas wacky rig! Do frogs leave tracks??

Note: The TackleWarehouse links in this email are affiliate links, meaning if you go through them to make a purchase I might earn a commission…at no cost to you. Click here if you want to learn a little more about links in the BB.

Tip of the Day

Time the spawn with natural-type stuff.

Cool tiddybits from Jim Moynagh again:

> Early in my career….Rick Clunn told me that the spawn in the South can be timed according to blooming dogwood trees. Once they bloom, bass start bedding. Being from MN, where there aren’t many dogwoods, I couldn’t distinguish a dogwood from an apple tree. But I made it a point to learn their identification. …after many years of my own observations of dogwoods and the spawn, I see that Rick was right on the money!

> Another sign that I have observed in southern states is the simultaneous occurrence of pine tree pollen. Countless times I can recall straining my eyes as I try to focus my gaze through a surface film of yellow pine pollen. Most often the pollen will collect in backs of coves and pockets where many bass will be bedding.

> …a person doesn’t have to be on the lake to see the pollen because it can be observed coating cars and trucks left to sit for a day or 2.

> In MN I have tried to time the initiation of the spawning period with dandelions. I’ve noticed that once the first big wave of blooming dandelions switch over to the puffy, seed stage, then the beginning of the bass spawn is at hand. I know some Minnesota fisherman like to predict bass spawning by observing blooming lilacs.

> …look for is the spawning of crappies and bluegills. Crappies hit the beds first, then bass, and lastly bluegills. Expect bass to bed very shortly after the crappies begin — in fact just a few days. Bluegills wait for even warmer water temperatures. Once bluegills begin, crappies are close to being finished.

> I believe the peak of the bass spawn — that period when the most females are physically around nests — occurs just a few days before the first bluegills start colonizing nests (maybe longer in the South). And once the bluegills do start bedding, understand that many female bass have laid their eggs and left the spawning grounds, but more should still be on the way.

Quote of the Day

“Virtually every person who is serious about fishing…has rigged up every one of their ‘sticks’ with a sure-fire lure at home and changed every single one of their baits within 5 minutes of getting on the water.”

– Lol! This ^ is the reason ALL boat-ownin’ bass-heads have at least 20 rods rigged and ready to go at all times…except that 1 dude you know who don’t care if they ain’t bitin’ [his fave bait] cuz that’s all he’s a-fishin’.

Don’t think of those 1-bait guys as bad decision-makers btw. I’d put Classic champ Hank Cherry, Denny Brauer, maybe Ish Monroe and more ‘n a few other hammers on that list!

Shot of the Day

Plain ol’ cool @rapala shot of Italy’s Jack Gallelli, the first European basser to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic. Believe he’s fishing the FLWs and Opens this year…or will be I mean:

Ya got me

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