Fishing Report SM Bass/Perch - Long Point Bay - Sunday, June 25th

[Old Cut LongPointer]

My Mom (RIP) told me a story about Opening Day back in the 50's how the guys would go out and be back in a couple of hours with bushel baskets full of Smallmouth Bass all at 6 pounds plus ! After a big lunch party the boys would go out and do it again for supper. What prompted her to remember was on her last trip down to the cottage one of my brothers came in with a very nice 5 1/2 pounder and some smaller but respectable ones and hence her memory of so long ago.

 

[Bandwagon]

Are the smallmouth still spawning at opener? If there’s no fish around doesn't that mean they already spawned for opener and took off to the lake already.

They are done, I fish the US side of St. Clair and they have been done for some time. The water warms roughly at the same rate as the inner bay on Erie. Always still some fish around as not all Bass spawn at the same time to ensure success, roughly only 30% of bass successfully spawn on any given year. Look at the MLF guys on St.Clair this week, the biggest weights are coming from 17-20 feet, this tells you lots are in full summer pattern already.

 

[jerk bait]

Are the smallmouth still spawning at opener? If there’s no fish around doesn't that mean they already spawned for opener and took off to the lake already.

Or they are not using the bay anymore or #s have dropped significantly.

I think a catch and release early season is a great idea. Then a reduced limit of 2 bass perhaps with a slot . Research have shown spring fishing doesn't dramatically hurt a bass population. In Texas where they spend 3 times as much as all Canada on Research they have determined spring fishing actually effects less than 10 percent of a bass population. In this particular case there is something off in the bay that should be addressed of they want to save the smallmouth. .

 

[SIX-GRAND]

When the pike turney was on at long point this year we were out May 11 looking for good pike water to fish for the tournament and we trolled up a football smalliez from bluffs bar that was loaded with eggs..
Back to bluffs may31 chasing perch we had a decent perch bite going till we started pulling smalliez that were now on the feed. The bass had no eggs in them at this time.

Opening day was perfect timing if the idea is to open the season once spawning is considered to be completed would it not? There is no reason for the bass to hang around till the opener if the water temps were for ideal for spawning ealrier then planned or earier then in the past.. there business for being in the bay in the first place was done and there is only nature to blame for that.

We had a hot spell for a good week back in May/early june.. Temps up into the high 20s & lots of sun. I would think that should have some positive effect on the cycle of shallow water spawning fish. It was sunny& hot for a solid week if I remember correctly.
We had next to no ice for ice Fishing this year.. I would think that should also have impact on how fast water temps risen this year

Walleye catching at nanticoke seems to be earlier then planned this year as well. Can't say I have ever Cought them in June like we have this year.

I'll bet the water temp played a factor in the poor opening day bass hunt this year more then a die off.
They were and out before before the solstice.

 

[jerk bait]

When the pike turney was on at long point this year we were out May 11 looking for good pike water to fish for the tournament and we trolled up a football smalliez from bluffs bar that was loaded with eggs..
Back to bluffs may31 chasing perch we had a decent perch bite going till we started pulling smalliez that were now on the feed. The bass had no eggs in them at this time.

Opening day was perfect timing if the idea is to open the season once spawning is considered to be completed would it not? There is no reason for the bass to hang around till the opener if the water temps were for ideal for spawning ealrier then planned or earier then in the past.. there business for being in the bay in the first place was done and there is only nature to blame for that.

We had a hot spell for a good week back in May/early june.. Temps up into the high 20s & lots of sun. I would think that should have some positive effect on the cycle of shallow water spawning fish. It was sunny& hot for a solid week if I remember correctly.
We had next to no ice for ice Fishing this year.. I would think that should also have impact on how fast water temps risen this year

Walleye catching at nanticoke seems to be earlier then planned this year as well. Can't say I have ever Cought them in June like we have this year.

I'll bet the water temp played a factor in the poor opening day bass hunt this year more then a die off.
They were and out before before the solstice.

Water temp was lowest its been in several years . Opening day temp was 72.it was around 74/75 in 2020 amd 2021 they were not even close to moving . In favor they were still pretty thick up until first week of July.
Bass won't just spawn amd leave. The smaller males will stay and the bigger females will take time to recoup. If anything the mild water temp would indicate a post spawn feeding pattern.
Fellow on bait Island said he didn't see a single smallmouth nest in the vicinity this year at all indicating they didn't arrive or are spawning somewhere else .

 

[jammer]

All species in Lake Erie are transitioning... Currents, forage, water clarity and water levels have changed migratory routes, feeding and behaviors... Alot of species are spawning and staying out in the lake... Gravel shoals and newly exposed area's from high water levels are new preferred areas to spawn and feed... Invasive species have become forage and part of the food chain... IMO of course...

 

[stomp]

All species in Lake Erie are transitioning... Currents, forage, water clarity and water levels have changed migratory routes, feeding and behaviors... Alot of species are spawning and staying out in the lake... Gravel shoals and newly exposed area's from high water levels are new preferred areas to spawn and feed... Invasive species have become forage and part of the food chain... IMO of course...

One thing is clear @jammer, you're at the top of the food chain

 

[Crestliner16]

Here's an interesting chart of average Lake Erie surface temps over the past few years vs. average from 1995-2022 (data from https://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/statistic/statistic.html):

The range of the chart shows May to late June - the 2023 bass opener was on the 175th day of the year. Any resident biologists around to interpret this in terms of possible affect on timing of the inner bay bass spawn/departure? Obviously this is the lake average surface temp and not the inner bay temp at spawning depth, but they are probably correlated.

 

[SIX-GRAND]

Water temp was lowest its been in several years . Opening day temp was 72.it was around 74/75 in 2020 amd 2021 they were not even close to moving . In favor they were still pretty thick up until first week of July.
Bass won't just spawn amd leave. The smaller males will stay and the bigger females will take time to recoup. If anything the mild water temp would indicate a post spawn feeding pattern.
Fellow on bait Island said he didn't see a single smallmouth nest in the vicinity this year at all indicating they didn't arrive or are spawning somewhere else .

I hear you. I know a little bit how bass work, bass was all fished for before I got hooked on this expensive & addictive big water trolling game.
if the bass were in the peak of there spawn back in late May and the male sit on the nest for say 2 weeks then another 2 weeks go by before the opener, how long and or why would/should they hang around any longer then nessecary regaurdless of opening day water temps.? That time line would give the females 4 week to recoup.

I know for a fact bass were at bluffs fixing to spawn around May11 (14fow) then weeks after that(may31) they were feeding(12fow).
While trolling on May31 at pottohawk for pike we pulled a few bass going 3.5mph with baits 6-8" long. They were on the feed at this time and obviously recouped enough and willing to chase/ take big baits burning by at 3.5mph(9-12fow).

Perhaps they dont show up in the bay any more..or any less either.
How would you know unless your out there watching and studying for weeks leading up to the opener.
Opening day water temps wouldn't tell me much about the spawn cycle like tracked water temps for at least a month leading up to the opener would.
How long has the bay been 72°.. was there any time it was higher then 72° before the opener?
I know for a fact the water surface temp was 72° from Turkey point to bluffs bar May31. I can only imagine how much warmer the inner bay must have been during that warm spell.
Sunday the water was 68.5° 6miles south of nanticoke.. it was in the low to mid 60s during the 1st week of June in the same area, She warming up nicely.

I'm saying they went out deeper weeks ago based on my observations & findings while fishing other species at bluffs and pottowhawk and now there is just left overs to be had in shallow and those that are well versed in bass managed to catch the few that are still cruising shallow. Had opening day been 2 weeks earlier we would have seen differnt results posted I'm sure.. all based on what I seen going on weeks ago.

The stars just didnt align for opening day this year like they have in the past and the fish clearly got the upper hand this round against those looking to capitalize on a shallow water bite.

Nature waits for no man..or opening day bass season. .

 

[Landlocked]

I don't know if this has any correlation but we had a large mouth nest in our ramp and took this photo June 17, Momma was cruising around her babies keeping other fish away.

 

[jerk bait]

I hear you. I know a little bit how bass work, bass was all fished for before I got hooked on this expensive & addictive big water trolling game.
if the bass were in the peak of there spawn back in late May and the male sit on the nest for say 2 weeks then another 2 weeks go by before the opener, how long and or why would/should they hang around any longer then nessecary regaurdless of opening day water temps.? That time line would give the females 4 week to recoup.

I know for a fact bass were at bluffs fixing to spawn around May11 (14fow) then weeks after that(may31) they were feeding(12fow).
While trolling on May31 at pottohawk for pike we pulled a few bass going 3.5mph with baits 6-8" long. They were on the feed at this time and obviously recouped enough and willing to chase/ take big baits burning by at 3.5mph(9-12fow).

Perhaps they dont show up in the bay any more..or any less either.
How would you know unless your out there watching and studying for weeks leading up to the opener.
Opening day water temps wouldn't tell me much about the spawn cycle like tracked water temps for at least a month leading up to the opener would.
How long has the bay been 72°.. was there any time it was higher then 72° before the opener?
I know for a fact the water surface temp was 72° from Turkey point to bluffs bar May31. I can only imagine how much warmer the inner bay must have been during that warm spell.
Sunday the water was 68.5° 6miles south of nanticoke.. it was in the low to mid 60s during the 1st week of June in the same area, She warming up nicely.

I'm saying they went out deeper weeks ago based on my observations & findings while fishing other species at bluffs and pottowhawk and now there is just left overs to be had in shallow and those that are well versed in bass managed to catch the few that are still cruising shallow. Had opening day been 2 weeks earlier we would have seen differnt results posted I'm sure.. all based on what I seen going on weeks ago.

The stars just didnt align for opening day this year like they have in the past and the fish clearly got the upper hand this round against those looking to capitalize on a shallow water bite.

Nature waits for no man..or opening day bass season. .

There is little to evidence of this . In fact there very few smallmouth nest left at all and none were in keys areas as reported by the residents of bait Island etc. who watch them every year . It's far more concerning than the stars not aligning . Bass opener 2 weeks earlier would have brought mostly the same results. I fish the west part of the bay for pike from may to opening day and we routinely come across big smallies then . This year only a couple and last year one prior to opener. In my opinion there is something more to it .

 

[Scotts]

Pretty sure that was Dad guarding the nest.

 

[Derkd9]

There is little to evidence of this . In fact there very few smallmouth nest left at all and none were in keys areas as reported by the residents of bait Island etc. who watch them every year . It's far more concerning than the stars not aligning . Bass opener 2 weeks earlier would have brought mostly the same results. I fish the west part of the bay for pike from may to opening day and we routinely come across big smallies then . This year only a couple and last year one prior to opener. In my opinion there is something more to it .

You sing the same song every year.

 

[Derkd9]

I don't know if this has any correlation but we had a large mouth nest in our ramp and took this photo June 17, Momma was cruising around her babies keeping other fish away.

Very cool

 

[SIX-GRAND]

I don't know if this has any correlation but we had a large mouth nest in our ramp and took this photo June 17, Momma was cruising around her babies keeping other fish away.

Vary Cool picture there mister, Love seeing stuff like that.. man there is a mess of them there!
June 17 you say.. and they look to be of good size already! .. Smalliez spawn before the largemouth if I remember correctly.

Thanks for sharing landlocked.