I know Bass opener is ways off but I just wanted to point out that they will probably be very late in their spawning this year due to the very cold winter we experienced.
Bass are very protective of their nests and remain with their young for a while after they hatch which makes them very easy to catch as they will attack anything that moves. They will be hard to avoid catching as they frequent the same waters as Pike, which is now open. But they will also likely be on their spawning beds well after Bass season opens protecting their young this year unless we get a long term hot spell. As Bass that are caught when on their spawning beds do not always return to protect their young, some do make their way back. Especially this year it will be a good idea to practice catch and rapid release of Bass until the end of probably July.
I used to do a lot of work up near Owen Sound and the vicinity years ago and I found a cabin at a camp on a lake I rented cheap. The camp also had 9 cottages, which weren't cheap and they were mostly booked out to Americans who came up every year. It was a very good Bass and Pike lake, but one year we had a similar winter to this past one. The Bass were on their spawning beds until well into July. The Americans who were coming up here thought it was great, lots of Bass for the cooler. Even though the fish were technically in season, a few years later we had only small fish left and a few big old timers, but not many. A whole year worth of young were lost which also means when they are of age to spawn, there wasn't many to spawn.
A year like this can severely damage a population of fish not only now, like the winter kills we have seen but also in the future if we are not careful.
Alfie.
Bass are very protective of their nests and remain with their young for a while after they hatch which makes them very easy to catch as they will attack anything that moves. They will be hard to avoid catching as they frequent the same waters as Pike, which is now open. But they will also likely be on their spawning beds well after Bass season opens protecting their young this year unless we get a long term hot spell. As Bass that are caught when on their spawning beds do not always return to protect their young, some do make their way back. Especially this year it will be a good idea to practice catch and rapid release of Bass until the end of probably July.
I used to do a lot of work up near Owen Sound and the vicinity years ago and I found a cabin at a camp on a lake I rented cheap. The camp also had 9 cottages, which weren't cheap and they were mostly booked out to Americans who came up every year. It was a very good Bass and Pike lake, but one year we had a similar winter to this past one. The Bass were on their spawning beds until well into July. The Americans who were coming up here thought it was great, lots of Bass for the cooler. Even though the fish were technically in season, a few years later we had only small fish left and a few big old timers, but not many. A whole year worth of young were lost which also means when they are of age to spawn, there wasn't many to spawn.
A year like this can severely damage a population of fish not only now, like the winter kills we have seen but also in the future if we are not careful.
Alfie.
