Just wondering if the cold spring will mean a late spawn for bass? I’m going up from June 15-18 and it would be a nice surprise if it happened while I was there. If so what are best strategies for fishing during spawning time?

FishingMD: "Just wondering if the cold spring will mean a late spawn for bass? I’m going up from June 15-18 and it would be a nice surprise if it happened while I was there. If so what are best strategies for fishing during spawning time?"

If the water temps in the lake you are on are above 60 degrees then they might be spawning. It all depends on the temps leading up to when you enter the park and the size of the lakes you plan on fishing. A big, deep cold lake they might not have spawned yet or a shallow, warm lake they could have already spawned before you got there. If it has been real warm maybe they will have spawned on all of the lakes. If it has been really cold then maybe no spawning has taken place. It depends on surface temps once the ice comes off. You can have a late ice off, but if it is 80 degrees up there for two weeks that water will warm up fast. So basically it is hard to tell right now since the ice has just come off the lakes. Keep an eye on the temps from now until June 15th to give you a better idea. I'm sure people will be posting on this message board on whether or not they are seeing beds and spawning taking place before you arrive.

I have an article called the Bronze Trophy that covers the stages of ice out until pre-spawn and pre-spawn to spawn if you would like to read it, send me an email - queticomike@yahoo.com and request this article.

QueticoMike: "

FishingMD: "Just wondering if the cold spring will mean a late spawn for bass? I’m going up from June 15-18 and it would be a nice surprise if it happened while I was there. If so what are best strategies for fishing during spawning time?"

If the water temps in the lake you are on are above 60 degrees then they might be spawning. It all depends on the temps leading up to when you enter the park and the size of the lakes you plan on fishing. A big, deep cold lake they might not have spawned yet or a shallow, warm lake they could have already spawned before you got there. If it has been real warm maybe they will have spawned on all of the lakes. If it has been really cold then maybe no spawning has taken place. It depends on surface temps once the ice comes off. You can have a late ice off, but if it is 80 degrees up there for two weeks that water will warm up fast. So basically it is hard to tell right now since the ice has just come off the lakes. Keep an eye on the temps from now until June 15th to give you a better idea. I'm sure people will be posting on this message board on whether or not they are seeing beds and spawning taking place before you arrive.


I have an article called the Bronze Trophy that covers the stages of ice out until pre-spawn and pre-spawn to spawn if you would like to read it, send me an email - queticomike@yahoo.com and request this article."

To follow up on what Mike said take a look at the area you plan on going to and figure out which lakes are more shallow meaning earlier spawn and deeper which will have a later spawn. Also wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring something like you would have in your pool to read each lakes temp. Key on that 60 degree and above.

We go up most years the first week in June. The spawn is done on the first week in June the last 5-6 years. The small fry have moved to the deeper waters by then and the adults are hungry by then.

It totally depends on the lake. It can be 2 weeks apart from one lake to the next and from one area to the next. We have seen it over by the 1st and we came out on the 13th one year(2013?) and they were just starting to bed in the area we were in.

mgraber: "It totally depends on the lake. It can be 2 weeks apart from one lake to the next and from one area to the next. We have seen it over by the 1st and we came out on the 13th one year(2013?) and they were just starting to bed in the area we were in."

They are spawning right now on my river here in Ohio

Looks like the spawn for Smallmouth bass just finished up on the Broad River here in South Carolina near Columbia.

I live in North Minnesota and we are getting hot days up here already. Today was 78 I think with night times in the 50's. Ice out in general was late but my coworker agrees that it really wont have to much of an impact as we consistently get these hot days up here. I agree with QM about lake size. I am heading up on June 8 to Sawbill and will be expecting the spawn to be long over with.

Water temps with much above above normal highs lately,seasons are speeding up and getting more normal.

Pinetree: "Water temps with much above above normal highs lately,seasons are speeding up and getting more normal."

+1 surface temps are raising fast but it is smally fishing right ? dont they always bite ? LOL

shock: "

Pinetree: "Water temps with much above above normal highs lately,seasons are speeding up and getting more normal."

+1 surface temps are raising fast but it is smally fishing right ? dont they always bite ? LOL"

They are almost as easy as walleye fishing :) haha

I ordered a thermometer, Surface temp will now be entered into the log book.

That water temp is rising quickly...i would look for the spawn to be about normal

I remember it being late in 2013.The temps after that late ice-out may have been cooler through May though.