Spawning for the opener

[Ole the Guide]

Well, this spring has kept the water in the upper 50's so far with a few bays hitting 61 degrees or a little warmer. That being said, I think we're in for one heck of a bass opener. The big Mamma's will be headed for, or on their beds just about the time we all set sail with our rods a reelin' and our hearts a pumpin'!

I can't wait to see what happens over the first few days of the season when we can legally fish our favorite species. I hope we get lots of reports on the success of the opener.

It's kind of ironic when you think of how the MN bass season is later than the walleye and northern season (reason being) because we don't want to pull the bass off of their beds, but low and behold, Mother Nature throws us a curve ball and we're going to be doing exactly that! Didn't this happen last year too?

Maybe someday they'll consider changing (God help us) the season and let us "bassaholics" get out a little earlier and enjoy fishing when the Northern and Walleye lovers get to go!

All I can say is, please release them if you catch them!

Have a great season!!

Regards,

Ole

[megger8]

I'm soooo glad that you said to release them - let them swim for another day and another catch and release photo Good luck catching the HOG!

[Superduty]

With the full moon today and the warming trend the bass should be making a huge push to the beds. It could be awesome. I'm betting most of them fish will get the spawn done prior to this weekend with mostly males left on the beds though. Sight fishing should be good. Been fishing WI lately and we caught both pre and post spawn females. Some of them big girls seem to spawn early, even when the temps aren't quite perfect.

I like to tell everybody that bass (in this particular lake)are poisonous-just to get them to release the fish. Some people actually believe me for a second or two!

[bucketmouth64]

Have you heard the latest weather forecast? Another cold front coming thru later this week and that could affect the bass opener . Below normal temps again and the dreaded rain may come into play. This spring seems like a repeat of what happened last year.

[gspman]

The bass are on their beds right now down by Faribault. Don't know how long they stay on them but some have been on them for at least 5 days now.

[EBass]

I'll be up on Woman lake so I wonder what the water temp is up there?

Hey do smallies spawn in cooler water than largies?

[waltinader]

The large mouth on Lake Waconia are inbetween, some have spawned and some have not. We cought a 21 incher and she was full than we cought some 20 and 19 and they were done.

[Mutty]

The fish were starting to spawn on the Whitefish Chain last weekend. I suspect it will be mostly males on the beds by opener.