Fishy myths?

[BassTracker16]

Another reason that bass and bait fish move to where the wind is breaking on the shore is because there is more oxygen in the water at these points Especially in the summer when it has not rained in a while.

[kevinb]

As stated above I think most of your pan fish just like to spawn in the same areas as the Bass, so the thinking there raiding the bass beds begins. I think most all predortation is soon after the hatch. In some lakes in eastern washing you can see the Blue Gill and Bass gaurding beds within a few feet from each other. I have turtles are the biggest nest raiders.

As far as carp go I have seen them destroy an entire area through there crazy, thrashing, splashing spawning activity. They are destructive but not as to purposly do so. That is when spearing for them is easiest. spearing carp or archery for them is a blast.

Thanks again. I fish bass anytime of year along with other species. I C&R as fast as possible,I've never targeted a bed however in some of my spots it would be hard to know. Lake Tapps is loaded with carp too and I sure don't want those guys getting an easy meal off smallies because of me.

Kevinb, carp are almost exclusively vegaterian. What I am trying to say is they are destructive just in spawning activities. Although I have caught a carp on worm, I don't think they purposely target bass eggs or worms.

As you may have figured out by now,I am mildly retarded when it comes to carp....among other things.

[eustace]

Thanks again. I fish bass anytime of year along with other species. I C&R as fast as possible,I've never targeted a bed however in some of my spots it would be hard to know. Lake Tapps is loaded with carp too and I sure don't want those guys getting an easy meal off smallies because of me.

Kevinb, carp are almost exclusively vegaterian. What I am trying to say is they are destructive just in spawning activities. Although I have caught a carp on worm, I don't think they purposely target bass eggs or worms.

As you may have figured out by now,I am mildly retarded when it comes to carp....among other things.

LOL............LOL...............LOL.................... we got to go fishing when you hit it over here!

[kevinb]

So this is weird and as stated earlier,not trying to start a huge debate.
Lastnight I was watching O'Neal Outside on the Outdoor Channel. This exact topic came up.
He stated that no real angler would ever intentionally target a bed and how it ticked him off when done so.
He went on further but this is basically it. The show was being filmed down south,down there maybe its a bigger problem. Anyway,just thought that was ironic.

[A9]

The show was being filmed down south,down there maybe its a bigger problem. Anyway,just thought that was ironic.

I think it is a bigger issue down in the south, where bass are targeted MUCH more heavily then they are here in the NW. I've talked to some folks who have came from the south and places where bass are targeted much more by anglers, and they all say that the pressure on bass in our lakes is nothing...They all can't believe the little pressure on bass up here compared to where they came from.
I'd imagine that the bed raiding down in the south gets pretty bad, but I'd also venture to guess that a lot more people don't fish for bass during the spawn because they recognize the amount of pressure and they catch enough big bass anyways...

[kevinb]

The show was being filmed down south,down there maybe its a bigger problem. Anyway,just thought that was ironic.

I think it is a bigger issue down in the south, where bass are targeted MUCH more heavily then they are here in the NW. I've talked to some folks who have came from the south and places where bass are targeted much more by anglers, and they all say that the pressure on bass in our lakes is nothing...They all can't believe the little pressure on bass up here compared to where they came from.
I'd imagine that the bed raiding down in the south gets pretty bad, but I'd also venture to guess that a lot more people don't fish for bass during the spawn because they recognize the amount of pressure and they catch enough big bass anyways...

Thats what I was thinking too.

[Jay S]

Ive never seen the show but a lot of guys say one thing and do another if you know what I mean. Ive heard of guys trying to snag fish off beds and thats a problem.

[kevinb]

Ive never seen the show but a lot of guys say one thing and do another if you know what I mean. Ive heard of guys trying to snag fish off beds and thats a problem.

Good call.

[kevinb]

So,in my case...bass fishing in western Washington,I shouldn't have to worry to much about sunfish raiding nests?

[Jay S]

Another good resource is the local Biologist. You can call fish and game and they will give you the number. I know that the local biologist I talked to said to kill every blue gill in the lake you catch and use it as fertilizer. The reasoning for this (keep in mind this is a smaller lake) was there were so many that they were stunting growth of all the other fish and using up vital nutrients.

[eustace]

Hey, Blue Gill are one of the better eating fresh water fish there is! I look forward every years to fishing Blue Gill and when I found out they killed off Sprague and Cow I thaught many people got there way to get rid of the Blue Gill. I am one of those few that is happy to here they plan on planting the Blue Back in there. When I have fished Blue gill in the upper Cow lake you could see the blue's and bass gaurding there nest a few feet from each other. I don't think sence blue's and bass spawn at the same time the blue's would spend much time raiding bass beds.

So, whats my point, post me and I will eat the Blues you catch don't use them as fertilizer! what a waist.

[Jay S]

I have no problem giving them to you. I don’t have a garden any way. I just can’t stand trying to fillet them for a bite of meat. I guess if they would get to any size it might be ok but most don’t make it over six inches. I bet they taste allot like perch. I guess I made the fertilizer reference because I don’t believe in letting them just go to waist. Catching to kill for fun isn’t much fun to me. If you like to eat them and can stand cleaning a whole mess to get a meal good for you. PM me and I will tell you the lake the biologist said its infested and they are messing up the fishery.

[fishaholictaz]

I have 1 good reason there aren't as many bass fisherman in Wa. and that is TROUT! It is a fishery they don't have as much of down south and for a guy wanting to go out and catch a fish up here it is a lot easier to go catch a trout. The guys that get into fishing up here a lot of times get into the salmon/steelhead! But as bass fisherman we are missing out on some fun fishing in other areas.
There is so much other fishing to do people often look past the shorter bass season. oh well:-"

[eustace]

I have 1 good reason there aren't as many bass fisherman in Wa. and that is TROUT! It is a fishery they don't have as much of down south and for a guy wanting to go out and catch a fish up here it is a lot easier to go catch a trout. The guys that get into fishing up here a lot of times get into the salmon/steelhead! But as bass fisherman we are missing out on some fun fishing in other areas.
There is so much other fishing to do people often look past the shorter bass season. oh well:-"

Bigbazztaz, I grew up on long over here, started with perch then bass as I got about 11 ( when I could take the boat myself ) and then later teen years I got in to trout. We are so lucky here in the northwest. I try to fish for whats biting. April and may bass in the morning and evening, Trout, walleye, perch and or Blues mid day (depending on the lake) june and july Mostly river and stream fishing, august and september back to the lakes for? October through march Salmon, steelhead, trout. We are so lucky we have such a range. For true sport fishing I hit Steehead, Salmon, Bass, Pike, Rainbows and the large Germans in Nov. I only eat certian fish like Blue's, Perch, Walls, planters and Brookies and a bright hatchery salmon. The salmon where I fish for them about half are turned by the time they get to Idaho. We are blessed.

My honest view of the sunfish's is they are a vital forage for producing large bass in many of our waters maybe not all but many.

[platinumroof]

Like I said before I don't have any strong opinions pro or con about bed fishing but O'Neal is a dork. And quit hijacking my thread punks. :-)

[kevinb]

Like I said before I don't have any strong opinions pro or con about bed fishing but O'Neal is a dork. And quit hijacking my thread punks. :-)

LOL:cyclopsan

[iPodrodder]

Someone will probably get their panties in a riff. But when I'm bass fishing,I try to release them ASAP. I'm not sure if the damage would be done by the sunfish by then or not....

Not me...........no sir. Now go look at my big long post on here. http://www.washingtonlakes.com/Forum/vi ... php?t=3201

A myth I've heard is that a red or softened shade light will not spook fish. Any opinions?

[eustace]

Yeah I have always had a hijacking problem, I should join highjackers anomynous. Sorry dude it's addictive!

[Anglinarcher]

Most of these are based in other areas. One of those I can answer is the bait fish being pushed by the wind. The wind doesn't push the bait it pushes what the bait is feeding on so it seems that the wind is moving the schools.

I have seen some different things about salamanders and sunfish raiding beds and imagine that there is some locations where it happens.As far as around here I have seen bass defending there beds from perch!

I completely agree about the bait fish, feeding, and the wind. My favorite shallow patters only work when the wind is pounding the shore to some degree.

I have seen video of sunfish sneaking bass eggs off the nest, but I have only seen this once in the wild. At that time, the bass was on the nest, but the little suckers would dart in from differing angles, and there were multiple sunfish. So, call this plausible, but not confirmed. I have seen the perch push for the beds as well, and it sure seemed as if they were actually picking off something in the nest. I have also caught perch with baby bass in them, so again, plausible.

It is often said that you don't find salamanders in lakes with game fish in them. More often than not, I think that this should say you don't find salamanders in great numbers if you have game fish in the same water. Salamanders, with another name, waterdogs, are a great bait. I have caught Bass, large Trout, even Walleye, on waterdogs. They love them, and they will inhale them deeply. The way I see it, they slam them hard because they are usually so big. With salamanders or waterdogs so large, you have to stun or kill it before you can eat it. So, do they smash them to kill them because they eat there eggs, or do they smash them because Bass like to eat them? Sorry, I don't know, but I have never even seen a salamander or waterdog near a bass nest; I doubt it would live long enough to try to steal an egg or two.

[Anglinarcher]

Good info everyone. I don't want to start a huge debate. I'm wondering with some of the info.given. Should I not bass fish during spawn and even awhile into post-spawn? I'm not a great bass angler,but enjoy the fishery very much. I wouldn't want to damage it. Any thoughts?:-k

Good question, and I will allow your own perspective to rule here, but consider that not all bass spawn at the same time.

You might need to stop fishing for over a month.