bass are on there beds

[Cheers]

I noticed today 3 bass on beds around my dock . SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL ? I don't fish bass , would much prefer to fish for a walleye, crappie or muskie over an invasive species , that being said I am curious , what is the significance of bass being on there beds ? As I understand it the females lay eggs on a nest then leave , the males then become baby sitters and guard the young . So when every one is excited about nesting bass and they go fishing , are they targeting the males on the nest or the post spawn females ? From observing the behavior of the nest guards it seems they have no interest in eating they are only focused on removing intruders from the area . I can cast a minnow on top of a nest and watch the bass grab the minnow and swim with it to the perimeter then spit it out . I am also of the impression that males are smaller than females . What is your thoughts ? Again I am just curious , who knows perhaps you can convert me to the other side .

[bitz]

my understanding is that bass behave similar to bluegill... they make the bed, then the females desposit the eggs, the males do their thing with the eggs and then guard the bed. The females seem to be more inclined to go eat (my observation) and the males will as you noted, defend the bed. The fact the crank has a hook or 2 will get in the way of them spitting the bait.

I did notice last week that I connected with several fish that all seemed to spit the crank out shortly after the strike and didn't think they might be lipping it and then spitting it. They were all in shallow water and one I am pretty sure would have been a personal biggest had I landed it.

As to smallie fishing, not much more fun than to have an 18 in fish fighting your line and jumping and thrashing etc. My experience with walleye's is you usually just reel them in and either keep it or throw it back. Most of the time not much of a fight. Smallies are a lot like muskie or northern except they usually don't bust your tackle or break your line. Besides catching a nice 12 in gill on an ultralight, nothing beats a 3 or 4 pound smallie on light gear.

I even like to eat a rainy smallie thats not to big (and if you look at some of the posts, some people think I am nuts

Bitz

[CaptJohnWis]

I doubt smallmouth are invasive to Rainy Lake. With all the streams and rivers that run into Rainy, I am sure some of them had bass in them for eons. They would have found their way to Rainy. And before the dam was built in I. Falls, they could come all the way from Lake of the Woods which has even more sources for natural propagation. But since the railroad goes across the lake, some probably got stocked as well.

I am glad they are finally on their beds. It really gets boring seeing all the posts about "when will they bed?" If you have a week booked at a resort what difference does it make? You are coming that week no matter the temperature or location of bass. When I used to drive here to fish, I would try to plan to be here when the bass were shallow (not necessarily spawning). Invariably the first morning I would get out of bed in I, Falls, I would have to scrape ice off my windshield (late May - early June). Mother Nature will mess up the best of plans. Bass hate cold fronts in spring.

If you are fishing beds, you are catching mostly the males. If you keep one, the eggs it was guarding are now history. Minnesota figured out it was a good idea to protect bass in the fall when they are stacked up on humps. I am surprised that the state hasn't done something to protect them while spawning. Once Wisconsin mandated catch and release for spring bass, the populations took off. Much better bass fishing there NOW then it ever has been in 50 years.

There was a very good study done on smallmouth in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin. Bass were tagged and monitored for several years. The female chooses the nesting site and returned year after year to the same spot - often the EXACT same spot (they put tags on alll the beds as well). Most of the time the male would die during the winter following spawning. But females live to spawn many times. The females do leave papa bass to do all the work. Since he misses a month of prime feeding, the theory is not enough reserves to make it through the winter.

[lakevet]

Smallies are not native to Rainy, but stocked in the 1920's.

Here is a good read on the subject.

http://www.thunderbayfishing.com/northwesternbass.htm

They are a great fish! Hopefully will get into the Rainy smallies after getting some eyes and crappies for shore lunch next week.

lakevet