Weird Bass Behavior, Or Just Spawning?

[hoglaw]

I was fishing a smallmouth stream recently and came across something odd. I'm no bass expert - I float and fish as often as I can. I canoe smaller lakes. I feel like I know what a spawning bass does, but now I'm not so sure.

In my mind, when a bass is on the bed they're hovering over a little depression and chasing minnows away. What I saw the other day though completely blew my mind.

As the float progressed, I would stop at all the backwater spots to run a frog across them and would pick up a largemouth or two. I got to a big backwater above a deep pool. This one cut back about 100 yards and was at least 6 feet deep in the middle towards the mouth (close to the current of the main stream). As I eased back up in it, my heart started pounding. All over the place were monstrous largemouth. Some of these fish were 8lbs plus. Absolute pigs and I could see at least thirty of them. The ones that were close to me were clearly spooked and swimming with purpose along the banks to get out of my way. The ones that puzzled me though were farther into the backwater and hadn't seen me yet. They were just chilling out - suspended I guess - with their backs almost out of the water. This was over the deep part of the backwater, not over a shallow bed next to the bank. I would toss lures well across them and as I would get close, the fish would spook and take off the other way. I tried everything I had, frogs, spinnerbaits, a sammy, a trick worm, a wacky rigged trick worm, a grub, a hula grub, etc. They wouldn't pay any attention to any of the lures and for the most part they seemed scared of all of them.

Now, these fish don't get just a ton of pressure. They were really spooky, and would take off like a bolt of lightning whenever anything would cruise by them, or when they saw me in the canoe. It was just so strange to see such enormous fish hovering on top of the water like that. What were they doing? Were they hovering over beds? They were almost motionless until they got spooked.

[stlfisher]

I was fishing a smallmouth stream recently and came across something odd. I'm no bass expert - I float and fish as often as I can. I canoe smaller lakes. I feel like I know what a spawning bass does, but now I'm not so sure.

In my mind, when a bass is on the bed they're hovering over a little depression and chasing minnows away. What I saw the other day though completely blew my mind.

As the float progressed, I would stop at all the backwater spots to run a frog across them and would pick up a largemouth or two. I got to a big backwater above a deep pool. This one cut back about 100 yards and was at least 6 feet deep in the middle towards the mouth (close to the current of the main stream). As I eased back up in it, my heart started pounding. All over the place were monstrous largemouth. Some of these fish were 8lbs plus. Absolute pigs and I could see at least thirty of them. The ones that were close to me were clearly spooked and swimming with purpose along the banks to get out of my way. The ones that puzzled me though were farther into the backwater and hadn't seen me yet. They were just chilling out - suspended I guess - with their backs almost out of the water. This was over the deep part of the backwater, not over a shallow bed next to the bank. I would toss lures well across them and as I would get close, the fish would spook and take off the other way. I tried everything I had, frogs, spinnerbaits, a sammy, a trick worm, a wacky rigged trick worm, a grub, a hula grub, etc. They wouldn't pay any attention to any of the lures and for the most part they seemed scared of all of them.

Now, these fish don't get just a ton of pressure. They were really spooky, and would take off like a bolt of lightning whenever anything would cruise by them, or when they saw me in the canoe. It was just so strange to see such enormous fish hovering on top of the water like that. What were they doing? Were they hovering over beds? They were almost motionless until they got spooked.

I have seen this at least on two separate occasions, but in a little different situations as yours. Both times it was this time of year, but in my situation it was a pond not a stream. I too chased after them for hours, but they behaved the exact way you described. I got the distinct impression after watching them for awhile that they were sunning themselves and enjoying the warmer weather.

My thought, and this is purely speculation, was the water temperate had warmed enough that the surface water was now the warmest water in the pond (kind of spring turnover thing), contained the most oxygen, and was pretty much optimal. I also think the bass were spooky because they use this as a sign the water is becoming warm enough and stable enough to start the spawn. I think they are getting geared up for that. Kind of a calm before the fun begins.

On both occasions I was curious enough to go back a few days later and I couldn't not find any fish near the surface, but did see some beds.

Anyway, my theory may be totally crazy, but I know exactly what you mean and it is strange.