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Whether or not you keep it during the spawning time or after, it is gone regardless. However, it is easier to find bass during the spawn and some of
these fish will strike a lure repeatedly until you finally catch it. Depending on the body of water, it is probably best to leave the bass alone during the
spawn, but it is also very important to make sure that fish are being released throughout the rest of the year as well. Catch and release will continue to
help the fish populations for the future. To learn more about spawning bass, we will cover the 3 phases of spawning.
During pre-spawn, bass are coming out of the deeper water getting ready to start their spawn. Bass will start moving to shallower water as temperatures
rise above 50 degrees. As these bass transition from deeper water, you can catch them just outside of their spawning areas. A good way to find out
where to catch bass during pre-spawn is to mark all the spots where the bass spawn and find the closest deep water. This is where they will most likely
be in the pre-spawn phase. You should be able to find bass along points, and quick drop-offs in 8 to 12 feet of water. You can also find a lot of bass
shallow cruising around looking for bait fish in the warmer water. The pre-spawn is a very good time to catch bass because they are very active.
Once the water reaches 55 - 60 degrees, the males start to build the nests. Actually spawning will take place in 62 to 70 degrees of water. They will
build their nests in 2 -4 feet of water, however, in clear lakes, you can find nests deeper. When the bass are actually on the nests, they are there for
one reason and this is to spawn. Bass will refuse to eat during spawning, however, there are some ways to coax them into feeding. They will
instinctively protect their nest, so any bait that looks like a threat to their nest has a chance to get bit. Try jigs, plastic worms, plastic snakes, tubes,
buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and shallow crankbaits. Some times a faster lure gets a reaction strike and other times a slow-moving lure sitting in their nest will
trigger a strike. Fishing with live bait can be very effective. Small minnows, baby bluegill, night crawlers and leeches will produce during the spawn.
Some times bass will pick up a bait and move it out of the spawning bed. If you put it right back in the bed, they might get agitated and take the whole
bait. You have to be persistent to catch bass on the beds.
This period can be very exciting for catching large numbers of bass, however, they will be smaller. The females are tired from spawning, so they retreat
to deeper water to recuperate. They will be inactive for a while. The post-spawn period is one of the worst times of year to catch big fish. These fish
aren't feeding for a while. The males will stay behind to protect the nest during post-spawn. They will attack many different presentations. Fishing can
be quite easy at times. Casting lures along the shorelines will produce many fish, however, they will be smaller males.
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