Smallmouth Bass on a Spawning Bed: Video, Photos, GIFs, and Facts
I took some time this weekend to obtain some underwater footage of a smallmouth bass on a spawning bed. It never ceases to amaze me how close you can get to these fish when they're protecting their beds. Note that I was very careful not to step on or disrupt the bed itself.
Here are a few interesting smallmouth bass spawning facts: males often spawn for the first time at a size of 7.5" to 10" and females at 10" to 12".
via GIPHY
Smallmouth spawn when the water temperature is somewhere between 58 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Males aggressively guard the nests and fry for two or more weeks.
via GIPHY
After the female lays her eggs, she lies on her side at the bottom to recover. While recuperating, some females excrete a white, creamy substance that envelops their entire body. The old and weak fish usually die, but the ones that survive will have recuperated after a week.
Angling for nesting bass during the brood-guarding period has the potential to negatively impact bass populations.
That last point is particularly important. Please follow your local fishing regulations! Don't be like those jerks I saw last week trying to poach smallmouth on Lake Simcoe.
via GIPHY
Smallmouth spawn when the water temperature is somewhere between 58 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Males aggressively guard the nests and fry for two or more weeks.
via GIPHY
After the female lays her eggs, she lies on her side at the bottom to recover. While recuperating, some females excrete a white, creamy substance that envelops their entire body. The old and weak fish usually die, but the ones that survive will have recuperated after a week.
Greg Cholkan is a lawyer, fisherman and Hemingway impersonator. He works in Huntsville with Barriston LLP and his practice focuses on real estate, wills and estates, and business matters. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter.
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