where do bass start to spawn on rayburn first

im going to rayburn in a week or so and im new to the lake just would like to have a starting are. not looking for secret spots

It’s a little early for bed fishing usually around very late February to early March is when it slowly starts.

Depends on the weather each year but I have found bass on beds as early as January on Rayburn. Harvey creek area is a good starting point and of course further north. Good luck in your search and let us know if you find any!

To make it easy before you go, go to you tube, search for Ken Smith Fishing, and watch his videos. He’ll have some that talk about the spawn. Particularly the ones where he goes over the map of the lake. He has a few videos that covers the lake from top to bottom on a map and he’ll point out spots on it and see if they are good summer spots or spawning spots etc. Def an easy way to get an idea of things to do. Oh and your welcome for the post Kenny! Lol

Some of the guys on FLW Live last week were saying they caught a few post spawn fish. I don’t know where to find them but look for the warmest water, that’s where they’ll be.

That's odd as some of the FLW mentioned seeing a few on beds etc in practice and some felt they were on beds during the event. I've seen some on beds in late January out there as well some years.

I think Cox was fishing the Deer Stand area. He is a great shallow water and sight fishing pro and if he was there it would be a good place to start.

I've spent the last 3 friday saturday Sunday at Rayburn. I dont think fish have moved up to spawn yet. I haven't caught one fish that showed signs of spawning activity. They say the exact opposite. I dunno man. I dunno.

Typically first week of March but I've seen them on beds in January and full blown in February. What usually happens is they are in and out cause of cold fronts or changing water levels. Yes a small percentage spawned when we had temps in the upper 50's and just over 60 for about a week at the full moon. Pretty typical cause we haven't had a real Winter. As for where that really is creek dependant. I've seen water temps 70 on the south end near mill creek and mid 60's at the same time at the bridge. It's more about that particular week of weather. You could get a week of warm south winds that actually push cool main lake water into a north shoreline and have a south facing creek be warmer for that week. All they need is literally a few warm nights to push up and start. It happens faster than most think especially when you have lots of fish already set up in creeks from the warm winter.

Northwest shoreline flats should have the warmest water.

On beds? Spawning? Or shallow, swimming in a clear spot?

I fished Champs there a few weeks ago and I caught 20+ keepers in the deer stand. Every single fish was very shallow. They were loaded up in there for sure. Nothing huge though. 3 pounders. I’d never go as far as to say they were post spawn. Lol. Or even pre spawn. These are fish that just live in that shallow stuff year round.

I fished a BASS Central Div tournament there in 1998 and 99.
The 98 tournament was in March, the 99 tournament in early February.

The February tournament was won and most of the top finishers were fishing outside the spawning areas, fishing soft plastics to crankbaits. KVD won it mostly fishing a honey hole that was a trough between two hydrilla beds.

I have a funny story about that including a current US congressman, KVD, crawfish and the camera crew but its long.

Beds.

Several (including Jon Canada in top 10) also said they caught post spawn fish.

Cold front after cold front here in East Tx not sure how it effects Rayburn but I’ve been fishing smaller water in the area and crappie are full of eggs. Bass not yet though.

Deer Stand would be a good place to start looking as it’s adjacent to the main lake and rive channel. The pockets there are protected from a north wind for the most part also.