spawning bass

[Edward Lea.]

This question may ignite but but I will ask it anyway.



What do most of you do when you see fish on a bed? When I am out and see an area with Bass spawning in that area I quietly back out and go somewhere else. I don't like to mess with fish that are reproducing for the future. I know that it is ok in tournaments to sight fish for spawning Bass and it seems that most do. I posted pictures of spawning beds being built in one of our lakes. I figure they should hold fish when the fish aren't spawning also.



I just feel like I walked in on something I shouldn't have and leave. What do most of you all feel like.

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

I fish for bass spawning on beds, both Tourney & Fun Fishing.

 

[Edward Lea.]

OK the early running total is Fish'em 1

Leave'em 2

 

[Bryan McDonough]

In Texas, on most lakes in March and April you can't help it. Cuz you can't see em.



I Fish for em when I can. There are multiple spawning periods in Texas, from Feb to May you can catch bedding bass.

 

[Al Greco]

I leave them alone when I see them on the beds. I know most tournament guys will fish for them but I go after the post-spawn or pre-spawn fish. They don't all spawn at the same time so there are other fish to target.

 

[Jeremy Theys2]

I usually can never see them. But I would fish them anyway if I did. I always catch and release though so I don't see the harm done.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Leave er' and try to figure out where she's goin' after she's done

 

[Mike Zechman]

I never saw one.............

 

[Paul P]

For tournaments - I fish em



For fun fishing - For any outing when they are spawning, I'll fish one or 2 off a bed then note other beds. If the day slows down fishing away from beds, I'll pluck a few more.

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Are you guys talking about when a Male & Female are on on the beds at the same time? Or just when the male is guarding? When both are on, it's very time consuming to catch either one, when female is done, she's off to another bed or to eat the fry of other bass beds.



Ther are so many variables, but from what I understand, there are way more deep beds that never get touched that the shallow visible ones are the least of the concern.

 

[TrepMan]

I've never seen one, don't know if its our lakes down here or my lack of being in the right place at the right time. Allatoona is usualy stained in some fashion all year long, not a real clear lake even south end, as its a river/stream fed lake with a damn at the south end.

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

fish 'em

 

[fatrap]

When I used to fish tournaments I did fish for them because I wanted to win....period. Now I don't.

fatrap

 

[Don Wilhelm]

I fish for them. If I catch any I return them to the water as fast as I possibly can, and in the area where they are caught.

 

[Edward Lea.]

OK so far it 5 for leave them alone and 6 for fish them.



Mike and Trep don't know if they ever have. If you two did see them on the bed would you or wouldn't you?



Fatrap used to but not now so I let those cancel out. If that is ok Fatrap.



Keep it coming folks this could be a good race.



CJL don't make it too complicated. The question is just a simple would/do you or would not.



Harpo may answer if he ever gets his backlash straighten out.

 

[Larry Harp]

We fish them hard when we go down to Lake Fork but with the dirty water in the lakes around here they're a little harder to find. I have mixed feelings about bed fishing and even though I do it I don't feel quite right about it. Fact is, it can get sort of tedious and slow sometimes. Spending half an hour or forty-five minutes on one fish gets old after awhile. I'd much rather be crashing a buzzbait through the timber and getting my arm pulled off doing that.



Harpo

 

[Steve Rizza]

If I see a biggin',I'll try for her. But for the most part I leave them alone. I'm actually not very good at bed fishing.



The exception is when I'm walking the banks of the local pond. But they are usually all biggins' anyhow. And if immedately released, they go directly back to the nest.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

It's actually no better to fish pre-spawn fish. After you catch her, if you don't put her back very close to her bed (i.e, tournament weighed fish) she will absorb her eggs and be done with the spawn. Keep in mind these females are really close to spawning and would let go in about 2 or 3 days. I don't normally fish them but if I run across one I'll yank her off the bed and then release her. I know of some that Teddy has caught 3 or 4 times with clients. These fish never hit the livewell though.



TOXIC

 

[Edward Lea.]

That makes it 5 for leave them alone and 9 for fish them. If I am counting right.

 

[TrepMan]

Ed - OK if I could I would, their fish, we're people - end of story, sorry Peta

 

[Edward Lea.]

Trep don't drag Peta in here.... I'm pretty sure it would not go over well.

Just the mention of them irritates me.

 

[Gene B]

I did once.....BUT MAC and CRAIG MADE ME!!! :lol: Actually, in lower MI the season opened after the spawn most of the time. Occasionally they would be spawning opening weekend. First weekend of the year, out bass fishing after a long hard winter, fish on the beds. Yup...catch and release a few. Then go try for pre or post spawn fish, get bored, catch and release a few off their beds and repeat.



Gene

 

[Rusty Williams]

I usually fish Toledo Bend. I will fish a bed no problem as we have 1200 miles of shoreline and there is no way fishermen can hurt this lake in my opinion.



RW

 

[Edward Lea.]

It's 5 for leaving them and 12 for fishin' them. Difference growing.

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

I fish em twice, so add another :lol: