When water warms, bass thoughts turn to love.
As water begins to warm in the spring, largemouth bass prepare for their annual spawning rituals to repopulate their numbers in Mississippi waters.
“In middle to late winter, bass try to feed up to build up as much energy as possible and grow their reproductive organs before spawning, so they can have a productive spawn,” Ryan Jones, a Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks fisheries biologist, said. “By late February, bass have spawning on their minds.”
Largemouth bass normally begin spawning when water temperatures reach about 63 to 68 degrees. In southern Mississippi, bass could begin spawning as early as late February. Spawning usually peaks in April, but could extend into June.
“Bigger bass seem to want to spawn early,” Jones said. “Bigger bass could spawn anytime in March, depending upon the temperatures. They might spawn earlier on the coast during a warmer winter. Most bass in Mississippi spawn in April through early May. Bass try to go up shallow as soon as the water temperatures start warming into the upper 60s to 70s.”
Even in the same lakes or coves, not all waters warm at the same rate, so not all fish spawn at the same time. On a massive, complex system like the sprawling Ross Barnett Reservoir and associated Pearl River system, different bass could be in prespawn mode, actively spawning or finished spawning in the same area on any given day.
Before spawning, bass stage in deeper water. They frequently follow submerged ditches or other features into the shallow spawning grounds and look for good bedding sites. When he finds a spot he likes, a male bass will use his lower jaw as a pivot to rotate around and scour out a saucer-shaped nest with his fins and tail.
In late February, some of the big females are already waiting for that first warming trend to move up into the spawning shallows. Then, the big girls will move up looking for beds in early March. A female bass can spawn again if she finds conditions to her liking.
Females usually arrive about two to three weeks after the males. A healthy female largemouth in her prime can produce about 5,000 eggs per pound of body weight. After laying her eggs, the female moves off the nest to rest and recuperate from the rigors of spawning. Then, she starts looking for prey to replenish her energy supplies.
“In late February, some of the big females are already waiting for that first warming trend to move up into the spawning shallows,” Jones said. “Then, the big girls will move up looking for beds in early March. A female bass can spawn again if she finds conditions to her liking.”
The male guards the nest and fry. He eats very little while performing his duty but will vigorously attack anything that might pose a threat to his offspring. Some common nest raiders include crawfish, bluegills, and aquatic salamanders. After the fry hatch and reach about a half-inch long, the male chases them away and looks for another receptive female to spawn again.
When fishing during spawning season, always handle any bass with care. Unless keeping one to mount, return any large females swollen with roe to the water as quickly and gently as possible to protect future generations.
