Readers ask: When do smallmouth bass spawn?

What is the best time to catch smallmouth bass?

Smallmouth fishing is generally better in the early spring than largemouth fishing might be, since smallmouths tend to be more active in cold water. Begin looking for them when the water temperature is in the mid-40s.

How do you catch spawning in smallmouth?

If a strike didn’t come right away, we would let the bait sink into the nest before slowly hopping it a little. If they are hitting topwater, Beeksma says the stop-and-go method may work, but spawning smallmouth seem to favor a fast, erratically moving bait.

Do smallmouth or largemouth spawn first?

Smallmouth generally spawn earlier and deeper than largemouth, and they are more aggressive while on the bed.

What month is spawning season for bass?

Largemouths usually spawn in the spring when water temperatures are between 60°F and 70°F. However, if water conditions are unsuitable and disrupt the planned spawning season, the fish can wait for as long as sixty days to resume spawning.

Do Bass remember being caught?

We’ve found through our studies that fish do have a memory. “For example, if a bass is caught on a spinnerbait one day, it’s almost impossible to catch that fish on the same lure the next day. But once the fish have been exposed to lures day after day, they remember and become warier.”

What is a smallmouth bass favorite food?

The smallmouth, while not very picky in its diet, tends to scale things down a bit more and will prefer a few plump bites than many small bites or one really big meal. The smallmouth will still go after insects, but its favorite food is usually the crawdad, or crayfish.

What colors do smallmouth bass like?

In my experience the best smallmouth bass fishing colors are: brown, green pumpkin, black, white, chartreuse and yellow. However, there are certain factors that should play a role in your color selection process such as water conditions, time of year, bass forage and light penetration.

What bait is best for smallmouth bass?

Smallmouth Bass Fishing Baits

Some of the most productive lures for stream smallmouth fishing are 1/4-ounce spinnerbaits and buzz baits. Soft plastic lures, such as spider-style plastic grubs (rigged on 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jigheads), tube baits, jerk baits and 6-inch plastic worms are also popular.

What water temperature do smallmouth bass like?

In the Spring, when the water temperature rises to 50 degrees, smallmouth bass become more active by moving into or near spawning areas. The preferred temperature of smallmouth bass, according to WDNR is between 69 and 79 degrees F. Spawning occurs when the water temperature reaches between 55 to 60 degrees.

What temperature do smallmouth bass start biting?

When temperatures rise to the low sixties – anytime from April to June, depending on the location – spawning begins. Smallmouths feed when water temperatures are between 50°F and 80°F. In the fall, smallmouths move to depths of fifteen to twenty feet, pursuing schools of small forage fish.

What months do fish spawn?

Female fish lay eggs, with the eggs being fertilized by the males in close attendance. Eggs develop more rapidly (in a few weeks) in warmer temperatures, and more slowly in colder water (up to months). Most freshwater fish spawn in the spring, although salmon, char, and some trout spawn in the fall.

What time of day are bass most active?

In Conclusion. Most times of the year, bass fishing is best around dawn and dusk. Focus on the hours of dawn until around 8 am and 5:30 pm until dusk in the late spring, summer, and fall.

What triggers bass to spawn?

Bass are beginning their most dynamic time of the year. Water temperatures are reaching that magic range between 55- and 65-degrees, which triggers the largemouth bass spawn. In lakes throughout the country, fishing for spawning bass is some of the best bass fishing of the year.

Do bass spawn twice a year?

To my surprise, I found some fish with eggs in the months of August through October. The result of this rudimentary study is that I realized bass spawn basically twice in the year. So maybe winter-spring and late summer-fall could be their prime times to spawn.

How long does the bass spawn last?

The largemouth bass spawn lasts about four to five weeks and is usually over when morning water temperatures hit 75 degrees.