# bass on beds yet?



## mischif (Jul 14, 2006)

As the title says, are the bass on there beds in most lakes?


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## spfldbassguy (Mar 23, 2009)

Um I'd have to say probably not considering what the water temps currently are in most of Ohios' lakes.


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

A guy at a local bait store claimed that bass in his pond were on the beds already. He had pictures of bass with eggs on their fins and claimed that they were fanning the beds. Ponds do warm quicker than lakes, and we did have a few nice weeks of warm weather. However I doubt that the bass have begun to spawn yet in lakes. 

2 weeks ago surface temps in lakes hit the low 70's, last week the surface temps were in the mid 50's. It's been a weird year to say the least. Southwest Ohio.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

A buddy of mine has 2 ponds. The lower pond had a few males making beds, but no females around. The other pond has had zero spawning activity. I believe the lakes are still quite a ways from a full blown spawn. You may see a few early ones on the next full moon, but I doubt there will be very many.

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## ranger487 (Apr 5, 2005)

If the weather would have stayed nice I think it would have happened but Mosquito went from 62 degrees to 49 in about a week so that slowed everything down really back to normal.

Mark


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## Bazzin05 (Feb 2, 2011)

I received some pictures of some female fish caught this weekend at a local lake and their tails where already healing as if they where spawned out. Both fish had half of their tails missing and you could see where they where healing.


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## USMC_Galloway (May 13, 2011)

I have seen a few gravel spots cleared off , with no fish on them though. I think as teh other poster said, this cold weather has moved them back deep again.


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## oarfish (May 12, 2004)

Bazzin05 said:


> I received some pictures of some female fish caught this weekend at a local lake and their tails where already healing as if they where spawned out. Both fish had half of their tails missing and you could see where they where healing.


Those eggs most likely to perish due to the temp. drop.


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## Bazzin05 (Feb 2, 2011)

I don't think that our temps have dropped enough to ruin the eggs yet. We still have water temps in the mid to upper 50's. I would see if the temps dropped to the 40's the eggs perishing. I think I am still far enough south that our waters have not been affected as much as the northern Ohio waters have been. 


Just my $.02


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Bazzin05 said:


> I don't think that our temps have dropped enough to ruin the eggs yet. We still have water temps in the mid to upper 50's. I would see if the temps dropped to the 40's the eggs perishing. I think I am still far enough south that our waters have not been affected as much as the northern Ohio waters have been.
> 
> 
> Just my $.02


Same here. I had 60 degree water in the upper end of piedmont sun. If any eggs were laid i'd say they would be o.k. as long as they get some sun. But I really doubt there has been much spawning going on in the lakes.

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## Buzzin (Jun 22, 2010)

]The ones that did come up to spawn moved deep as soon as the cold front came trough. They were for sure on the beds before hand. I caught my personal best @ 6.75lbs and she was full of eggs a little over a week ago. Last year the bass were full blown spawning in the first week of may in southwest Ohio and I noticed a three week difference in spawn time from reports from southwest ohio up to northern ohio. 
With only a few coming up and it only lasting a week before the cold front came through I would say anything north of central Ohio never seen the spawn yet.


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## Pancho (May 3, 2005)

The guy who won the weekend series this past weekend in rocky fork cought 18 lbs bag on the beds!!!



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## adam_smith_nap (Oct 30, 2011)

I have heard of a couple of guys sight fishing


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

I hope this is not considered a thread hijack but I think the question I was going to start a thread to ask might be somewhat related. My Son and I were at a pond yesterday and almost as soon as we got there we noticed bass cruising around the shore, most were probably in the 2-3lb range. Needless to say we looked like a couple goofs trying to throw everything we could at the nicer ones with no luck. The interesting stuff started when we would hook something else..those bass would charge the hooked fish like freight trains. My Son was reeling in a 8-9" crappie and a bass actually latched onto it, the bass actually held onto this crappie for 7-10 seconds before letting go, same thing if we would hook a smaller bass, we tossed a 11-12" crappie back in the water and a bass gave it the evil eye for a few tense seconds before the crappie was able to swim off. Is this some sort of pre spawn thing?? didnt notice any beds around, thought it might have been some sort of thing where the bass were saying we are getting ready to spawn and you guys are not welcome. Tried throwing a Shadrap for a few with no takers, any lures that might work in these conditions?? Thanks


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## Bazzin05 (Feb 2, 2011)

Smallmouth Crazy, I would say those fish might just be cruising and fattening up for the spawn and the hooked fish looks like an easy meal since it is struggling. 


My goto bait for fish like that is a wacky rigged trick worm or a sinko rigged regular or wacky style. Those fish normally can't resist that. Plus it is better if you stoop down on the side of the pond so you don't have such a profile against the sky from the fishes perspective.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

Thanks for the reply, seems like as good of a reason as any...its just that they wouldnt take anything else?? maybe it was our profile.


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## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

Smallmouth Crazy said:


> I hope this is not considered a thread hijack but I think the question I was going to start a thread to ask might be somewhat related. My Son and I were at a pond yesterday and almost as soon as we got there we noticed bass cruising around the shore, most were probably in the 2-3lb range. Needless to say we looked like a couple goofs trying to throw everything we could at the nicer ones with no luck. The interesting stuff started when we would hook something else..those bass would charge the hooked fish like freight trains. My Son was reeling in a 8-9" crappie and a bass actually latched onto it, the bass actually held onto this crappie for 7-10 seconds before letting go, same thing if we would hook a smaller bass, we tossed a 11-12" crappie back in the water and a bass gave it the evil eye for a few tense seconds before the crappie was able to swim off. Is this some sort of pre spawn thing?? didnt notice any beds around, thought it might have been some sort of thing where the bass were saying we are getting ready to spawn and you guys are not welcome. Tried throwing a Shadrap for a few with no takers, any lures that might work in these conditions?? Thanks


A big bluegill or crappie swimbait!!!!!


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

I actually thought about the bluegill idea and we tried to catch some yesterday..but we only were able to catch 2 or 3 and they were all nicer 6-7" fish, I didnt really want to take them out off the pond. A friend of my Son got lucky yesterday and yanked out a LM about 4lbs.


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## bassmaniac (May 10, 2004)

Caught a dozen LM today. 5 were big females just starting to get eggs. Definately pre-spawn here. Water started out at 52 and ended up 60 as we were leaving the lake today. We were fishing in Fostoria res. #5.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

Yeah they were for sure on the beds at rocky fork. I was there on Wednesday afternoon and I fished a craw for bout 15 minutes right before dark and got 1 male and had another hit several times that were for sure on the beds as was said earlier. they were deeper beds, like 4 ft deep. you could tell by how the fish hit repeatedly in the same spot that they were protecting nests.


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