Bass spawning now?

So, I saw this yesterday at Athens....I spooked the fish, a female and a male.... I'd say they are a bit early. Water was 52°
What gives?






[img]http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics...rst000_cover.jp[/img]
[img]http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics...rst000_cover.jp[/img]

They are out looking for real-estate. Like the reality show "Buying The Bayou". They are know as cruisers.

What happens when the water drops 10 degrees in the next 4 weeks?

Fish2222, repost the pics please. Not showing up (at least for me). Interested to see what you are describing.

Yeah I didn't get'em either, only X.

Having trouble with the pics....trying again.

My personal best was caught on Christmas Eve at Coleto Creek in 1993. She was full of eggs, even spilling them in the boat when I landed her.

That looks like a bed to me. I believe there are a few fish that spawn early when ready. As the water temp. drops more and more, it will move those out that are thanking about spawning and in the shallows looking. Then a warming trend comes along and they will be right back wanting to make beds again.

If the weather was consistent then there would be a great pattern; but it is not which makes it difficult to work spawning fish. So a few spawn here and a few spawn there; the first thing you know it is all over with.
The farther south you go the more consistent the weather becomes. That is why Falcon and Mexico is so much fun. Then on the other hand when unstable weather does come in on those southern lakes it really turns them off until it gets back to normal. It doesn't even have to drop the water temperature. It can just be cloudy and air temp drop 10 degrees.

She was probably just teasing him, you know how some women are.

I caught a 7pounder on Murvaul this weekend in about 5' of water that looked like she was about to bust. Kinda made me wonder too.

I've caught some giants on beds early and in 56-58 degree water. There are always early ones and late ones. I've caught big ones in may in 80+ degree water

Typically, the biggest fish in the lake spawn the earliest.

Don't you reckon that these are fish that spawned in the spring and it has stayed warm for so long that they are going to try to get a second spawn on now that water temps are "back down" to 55-60 --- which they may not make since the water temps will continue to fall. And that these fish will spawn again in the spring. All that is to say . . . I think they are spawning latest not earliest.

A cold winter makes the spawn "easier" imo. It holds them back and you actually get good waves of fish. This past spring was warm and they started in January.... trickling along into April. Never saw a great wave since it was non stop. Probably better for the fish however since it's so staggered and not a ton of pressure during the week

I believe he’s referring to earliest in the spring.

Heard Dat!

If he is not careful she will file sexual harassment on him.

Happens every year in the fall & early winter. Admittedly 52 degrees is chilly but I've caught them in 3' of water on Fork when it was 48.

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/12492912/Re:_Fall_Spawn_on_Lake_Fork#Post12492912

Good One!

I caught one on a bed the 2nd week of June one time in No Name at Fork but he was so ugly I don't think he ever got a girlfriend. Probably ended up with a carp.