Fish getting ready for spawning

Its now mid February and I'm itching to go fishing in some warmer weather. Not only will this warmer weather make it more pleasurable for me, but fish in Kentucky begin to feed heavily to get ready to spawn. Now I would gladly fish in cold weather rather than not fishing at all but the upcoming warmer weather will change the water temperature. Bass, Walleye, and Bluegill prefer water temperature 45 to 75 degrees. Now that don't mean that these fish will not eat when the water temperature is colder that 45 degrees, but they do not eat as much and cannot exert the energy to chase down their prey.

When the water temperature starts to increase these fish detect it and begin to feed for preparation of spawning. Large mouth Bass usually spawn around the 68-72 degree range, they will feed heavy on shad or crayfish. Once feeding and these bass get their energy back they begin to find a spot to spawn. The males make the spawning bed, fertilize the eggs after the females lay anywhere from 2,000 to 20,000 eggs. The Large mouth Bass use their Caudal Fin (Tail Fin) to clear the eggs of debrie. The bigger female Large mouth Bass spawn first and when you catch them during spawning season you will see that their tail is destroyed from keeping debrie from getting on their eggs. Now once the females lay their eggs and tend to them for a short time, the males will come in to protect the eggs from debrie or predators. About six days later the eggs will hatch and the males will protect them until they are ready to leave the nest. The Bluegill spawn the same way in but really shallow water. They spawn in the 74 degree range and the male and female bluegill play the same roll but with more predators to watch out for. Carp and Catfish can suck up a whole nest of Bluegill in a matter of seconds. Bluegill spawn close to one another making a colony of spawn beds. It takes about a week for the eggs to hatch and out of the Bluegill eggs that hatch only one out of five will make it threw the first year. Luckily the bluegill lay about 40,000 eggs each year.

The Walleye spawn quite similar to the Large mouth Bass and Bluegill. The difference is they begin to migrate from deep winter pools up stream to shallow water to lay their eggs. The males and females do their part just like the previous fish. Once the water temperature begins to warm up Walleye begin to move up stream to where they were hatched. They spawn in 45 degree water but a cold front can cause the spawning of Walleye to be throw off postponing the spawning. Walleye like to feed at night and that seems to be the best time to catch them during this period.
Pre-spawn, Spawn, and Post-Spawn are great times to fish. Depending on the fish this spawning season runs from early March to the end of June. Fish do this every year and this process is what allows fish to be caught year after year. I usually try to release the fish I catch this time of year so they can complete their spawning. I want my kids to enjoy fishing in Kentucky as much as I do.