OVERVIEW

Weekly Bass Spawn Map and Report

Welcome to Versus Country - Weekly Bass Spawn Map and Report.

Every week, the Versus Country - Weekly Bass Spawn Map and Report will update you on state of the Bass spawn, provide some great tips and techniques, and our map demonstrates the state of the three phases of Bass spawn across North America.

We encourage everyone to let us know what you are seeing in your neck of the woods, just click the "Comment" button and let us know. And if you’ve a photo to show off your catch, add it to our "Fishing Map."

Pre-Spawn

The pre-spawn period begins when water temperatures are 55 to 58 degrees. Bass are headed for the spawning areas and will often group up in "staging areas" where Bass fishing fantasy turns into reality. Staging areas that concentrate a lot of fish tend to be close to spawning areas and usually have a structural component - a sharp depth change (a ledge), a strong main-lake point. Add cover--like stumps, brush, or aquatic vegetation - and you may have the proverbial honey hole.

Spawn

The Bass spawn is dictated by water temperature, and local weather conditions can advance or retard the spawn by several weeks. On any body of water, it is a pretty safe bet that some Bass will be spawning when the water reaches 62 degrees and the spawning ritual is largely over when the water temperature climbs to 70 degrees. In general, look for spawning Bass in 1 to 5 feet of water over hard sand or clay bottom , either close to the bank or on large flats. Yes, largemouth may spawn as deep as 12 feet in lakes with very clear water.

Post-Spawn

The post-spawn period follows the spawn. In many lakes, Bass will bunch up in the same staging areas used during the pre-spawn phase. Heavy cover is often key to post-spawn heavyweight Bass.

Keep in mind a couple realities as you apply this map and report to Bass fishing at your favorite fishing destination:

•	Small, shallow waters warm faster than large, deep lakes.
•	The Bass spawn may occur up to a month earlier on the upper end of large lakes and reservoirs with relatively small inflows.
•	On the other hand, Bass will spawn earlier in backwaters isolated from the main river flows in lakes and reservoirs fed by large rivers.

Weekly Bass Spawn Report for 5/5 - 5/11

Winter just won’t let go in the upper tier of eastern and midwestern states this year, so I am expecting the rapid northward advance of the Bass spawn to stall out a bit compared to most years unless the weather goes from snow to summer. The midwestern Bass will still have a brief spawning period, but the late spring may translate into a longer pre-spawn period. Anglers in the Pacific Northwest need to get the dust off their Bass tackle, but Columbia River waters are still cold.