Ice out bassin'

Hey guys. With the recent regulation change allowing bass fishing all year in the north part of zone 10, I am planning on trying for bass and lakers on the long weekend.


The question then is, does anyone have any tips on finding bass and getting them to bite at this time of year? I am confident that I'll be able to find a few lakers, but very early season bassing is new to me. I caught a few nice ones a few years ago during the May long weekend when I was camping in Kirkland Lake and targeting walleyes, but I'm not really sure why they were there or why they bit. Despite what the MNR has in mind with this regulation change, I don't plan on keeping any until after the spawn.

If you don't plan on keeping any it may just be best to not target them.

Early in the year the bass will be in the warmer shallows - in the weeds.

They will be on their nests protecting their eggs from panfish. When caught their nests are susceptible to panfish robbing their nests, eating their eggs hence why people tend to leave that area for the bass to not disturb their spawn. They typically nest between 3-8 ft on sandy bottoms, you'll be able to see their markings on the bottom.

@rumulus86, already, you think?

The ice just left the lake last week. It will be off two weeks by the long weekend. I don't expect the surface temperature to be much more than 7 or 8 degrees (mid 40s F).

I always thought they were spawning in much warmer temperatures, hence the usual end of June opening date in this area.

Hey 35wailin, if the temperature is in the mid 40's they are probably in the transition stages and didn't drop yet. Most of the lakes I am fishing here (southern ontario) have higher temperature and they are in different stages, a really great article that will help you target them and understand a bit of their biology is http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/spawn-time-smallmouth, cheers.

The bass are weeks off their spawn. Water temps are in the mid to high 40's now and SM won't start spawning till water hits 60's LM in the 70's. Look for SM on the first drop offs 15-20 feet feeding heavily after this long winter. I have fished open season SM on Lake Erie in the past and the action can be good with big fish caught. Just toss them back so they can finishing getting fat for the spawn.

Are smallmouth invasive in zone 10 (north of hwy 17)? Is this why the MNR opened a year round season for them? If yes, then who cares if they are spawning. Target them and have some fun.

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Originally Posted by jtracc

The bass are weeks off their spawn. Water temps are in the mid to high 40's now and SM won't start spawning till water hits 60's LM in the 70's. Look for SM on the first drop offs 15-20 feet feeding heavily after this long winter. I have fished open season SM on Lake Erie in the past and the action can be good with big fish caught. Just toss them back so they can finishing getting fat for the spawn.

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X2

Try a suspended jerk bait, we have had success with this on Erie just after ice out. The will stage on points depending on water temp.

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Originally Posted by Paddy

Are smallmouth invasive in zone 10 (north of hwy 17)? Is this why the MNR opened a year round season for them? If yes, then who cares if they are spawning. Target them and have some fun.

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I think the answer is yes, basically, in fact I think the area to which they're non-native extends a lot farther south than that. But the limit of their natural range isn't completely clear, and in any case "invasive" is somewhat subjective... though I would say there's a strong case to call them invasive in many waters to which they've been introduced. For example I don't understand why in Algonquin Park, where lake-dwelling brook trout are a major conservation focus and non-native smallmouth bass their main threat, they don't open smallie season in late April when the sanctuary restriction ends on the park.