# Good day for pre spawn bass!



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

My son Matt and I hit the Old High Point Lake this morning, looking to catch some pre spawners, and it was on! We caught and released 22 fish, mainly on Zoom Ultra vibe speedcraws Texas rigged, and a few on spinnerbaits. Biggest was around 4+, but there were several between 2-3 pounds, only three were short fish. Only bad thing was, the boat we got first started leaking around the plug, we had to go back and get an aluminum one. I like the skiffs better, but was not in the mood to swim..lol


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Looks like you had a fun day always better fishing with family


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Yeah, he always tries to "outfish" his old man, lol. He and I have won two tournaments together, when he has time to fish them with me.
Right now our bass are on the beds, so it's crappie time in NC. LOL


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

We won't be in that situation till the full moon in May so it's game on until then.


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## jake444 (Apr 14, 2015)

Can you fish for bass on beds in NC NCbassattack? Or do you just not like to disturb fish when they are on their beds?


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

It's legal here. I just don't do it, I feel it's kind of unsportsman like, but until they make a law against it, nothing I can do about it. As long as the fish is returned quickly to the water, they will return to the bed. Tourney anglers often target the big females, which don't guard the eggs or fry, but there is evidence that shows them releasing eggs while they fight the hook.
Good thing is, they don't all go the beds at the same time, there are usually two waves of spawners. Right now, we have fish just moving onto beds and others are beginning to bite again after recovering from spawning rigors.
I do know that some states do not allow spawning bass fishing.

Last April, my friend Travis asked me to fish a club tournament at Badin Lake with him. We got there and found several fish on beds. So, he asked me if I had a problem with site fishing, and I replied in the affirmative. But we saw a few beds with fry and a small male in attendance, so I suggest hitting points, looking for big females from the first wave that may be ready to eat again.
He agreed, and we got out the Carolina rigged speedcraws and started banging stumpy points..Jackpot! We won going away, and the site fishermen all came in with a couple of fish each. One jerk had five barely legal buck bass he'd pulled off beds, dooming the eggs in those beds. That's what ticks me off. People can be so stupid.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Very honorable and nice catchin NC!


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

JamesT said:


> Very honorable and nice catchin NC!


Just want there to be plenty of bass for the next generation to catch, James.
I have three grandaughters that love to fish, and teach a teach a kid to fish clinic in High Point. So I'm into conserving bass, which are among the apex predators in a freshwater environment. Got no problem with keeping crappies, bluegills, or cats, or even a few bass from farm ponds, especially smaller fish. But I have seen ponds ruined because people kept a lot of bass, leading to an overpopulation of stunted sunfish.
Some guys fish for big spawning females because they are easier to catch at that time just so they can take a pic and show what a great fisherman they are.
Doesn't impress me a bit. Catch a ten pound bass while she's trying to spawn, big whoop.
Catch her in July and you've done something in my book.
Just my opinion, mind you.
I have caught three bass over ten pounds, and not one fish was spawning...


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## jake444 (Apr 14, 2015)

NCbassattack said:


> Some guys fish for big spawning females because they are easier to catch at that time just so they can take a pic and show what a great fisherman they are.
> Doesn't impress me a bit. Catch a ten pound bass while she's trying to spawn, big whoop.
> Catch her in July and you've done something in my book.
> Just my opinion, mind you.
> I have caught three bass over ten pounds, and not one fish was spawning...



I agree on this never really thought about it before though.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

That's awesome 10 pound bass are all but non existent in Ohio my best is a smallmouth a little over seven pounds caught in Lake Erie in late April. I'm sure there is a fish in Ohio over 10 but it's about as rare as a unicorn


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

laynhardwood said:


> That's awesome 10 pound bass are all but non existent in Ohio my best is a smallmouth a little over seven pounds caught in Lake Erie in late April. I'm sure there is a fish in Ohio over 10 but it's about as rare as a unicorn


Seven is awesome! I love smallies. My brother got a six at the New River on the VA/NC state line.
I fished Erie with my bro in law, my wife is from Buffalo. We go up to visit her relatives sometimes. We caught several good ones, up to 4-5 pounds, but a seven pound smallie? Awesome!
I'd trade one of my ten pound largemouth for that any day!


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

NCbassattack said:


> Just want there to be plenty of bass for the next generation to catch, James.
> I have three grandaughters that love to fish, and teach a teach a kid to fish clinic in High Point. So I'm into conserving bass, which are among the apex predators in a freshwater environment. Got no problem with keeping crappies, bluegills, or cats, or even a few bass from farm ponds, especially smaller fish. But I have seen ponds ruined because people kept a lot of bass, leading to an overpopulation of stunted sunfish.
> Some guys fish for big spawning females because they are easier to catch at that time just so they can take a pic and show what a great fisherman they are.
> Doesn't impress me a bit. Catch a ten pound bass while she's trying to spawn, big whoop.
> ...


Thanks for expounding. And like I said, very honorable! Your skillz are very impressive, very, very imoressive!:B:B:B:B:B


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I fish Lake Erie quite often and most of the bass are 2-5lbs. When I saw that monster next to the boat, my knees got weak it was trying to pull the rod out of my hands. That fish kept going straight under the boat and towards my trolling motor. There is no quit in those little brown beauties. Weather and season permitting I spend most of my time chasing smallmouth. I only live 5 minutes from the lake. I don't fish for bedding smallies so I usually try to catch the post spawn largemouths around here. I do enjoy largemouth fishing and Lake Erie doesn't allow daily fishing off a bass boat so I get into a good amount of largemouth just not the ten pound variety which would be awesome.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

laynhardwood said:


> I fish Lake Erie quite often and most of the bass are 2-5lbs. When I saw that monster next to the boat, my knees got weak it was trying to pull the rod out of my hands. That fish kept going straight under the boat and towards my trolling motor. There is no quit in those little brown beauties. Weather and season permitting I spend most of my time chasing smallmouth. I only live 5 minutes from the lake. I don't fish for bedding smallies so I usually try to catch the post spawn largemouths around here. I do enjoy largemouth fishing and Lake Erie doesn't allow daily fishing off a bass boat so I get into a good amount of largemouth just not the ten pound variety which would be awesome.


Question. What did you mean "doesn't allow daily fishing from a bass boat?"


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

The lake gets way to dangerous


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

The waves on Lake Erie come fast and the central basin has no place to hide I do most of my damage from ruggles reef to Avon point


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Ok. I guess that makes sense. Like an inland sea.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

The lake can go from dead calm to 6 foot waves in less than half an hour it's crazy so you always have to be ready to motor up and head for the dock. There have been multiple times I wasn't sure I was going to make it back in. That's the chances you have to take fishing Lake Erie. I have the utmost respect for Lake Erie and when she is rockin and rollin I am fishing inland.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

We don't have anything like that here, High Rock and Norman, Buggs Island are huge lakes, but drops in the bucket compared to Erie. But we do have the Atlantic!!


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