The James (behind The Dam)

[smallmouthjoe]

Started out around 9:00 this morning fished from the actual dam down past the low water bridge. The water is up and slightly stained, as if I need to tell you that. Started the morning throwing a white SB around cover and came up with only two small LM with it. I then switched to a bumble bee norman crank and caught my largest fish of the day, a big and healthy spot that appeared to be full of eggs. I would guess she was around 16" and weighed around three. I noticed she had a crayfish down her gullet so after fishing the crank for a little while with no results I switched to a booyah pb&j 3/16 jig with a green pumpkin chigger on the back. That yielded my second biggest of the day which was a LM that was around 14" and a few smaller ones. Great morning I'm glad I had the chance to go. I was disappointed that I left all my topwaters at home there was quite a bit of surface action all morning. Take care.

[RSBreth]

Awesome, glad someone got out there. Funny how no matter what they were eating the crank got the biggest fish.

[eric1978]

Not so sure she was full of eggs, Joe. Probably just fat from gorging on 'dads.

[smallmouthjoe]

Could have been but I've never seen a fish that was that full. I thought she was going to explode. But your probably right it wouldn't make much sense to spawn right before winter unless there was abnormally high water temperatures all throughout the winter in that particular location.

[eric1978]

But your probably right it wouldn't make much sense to spawn right before winter unless there was abnormally high water temperatures all throughout the winter in that particular location.

That's pretty much what I was thinking, but I say it almost every day...I'm no biologist so what the heck do I know? I really don't think a bass will spawn in the fall, though (at least in our neck of the woods), regardless of water temperatures...lately I've been realizing photoperiod has a lot more to do with all aspects of behavior than I knew.

[smallmouthjoe]

The only reason I thought of it was because of the high water temps that come off the lake due to the warm water outlet at the power plant. Even if there is higher water temps your probably right, the day length is probably has more to do with activating the production of eggs than the water temps do. I wish I could have gotten a picture of her. Spots are usually a fatter looking fish anyway but this one was just ridiculous. It reminded me of one of those really fat calico cats.

[eric1978]

The only reason I thought of it was because of the high water temps that come off the lake due to the warm water outlet at the power plant. Even if there is higher water temps your probably right, the day length is probably has more to do with activating the production of eggs than the water temps do. I wish I could have gotten a picture of her. Spots are usually a fatter looking fish anyway but this one was just ridiculous. It reminded me of one of those really fat calico cats.

Like this?

[Dutch]

With the year we have had, I'd say anything could be happening. In places around here forsythia is blooming and in others orchard grass is putting on heads, so why not a fish in prespawn out of season.

[smallmouthjoe]

Like this?

You see this fishes belly is located more toward it's anterior, the one I caught the belly was further back. I wish there was a way I could tell without cutting it open. Does anyone know of a way that doesn't involve me killing the fish?

[Wayne SW/MO]

It was probably eggs, they carry them a long time before they spawn. They will be small and tight in the sack until the spawn gets close, then they get larger and the sack looser.