Spawning Smallmouth

Spawning Smallmouth Bass on Lake Simcoe

🗓 Timing

• Spawning begins when water temperatures reach 15–18°C (59–64°F).
  
  

• In Lake Simcoe, this occurs from late May to early June, depending on yearly weather patterns.
  
  

🌊 Habitat and Nesting

• Males choose shallow, sheltered areas with gravel, rock, or sandy bottoms.
  
  

• Nesting depth: 3 to 15 feet, occasionally deeper in clear water.
  
  

• Males fan out circular nests (30–60 cm wide) using their tails, clearing away debris.
  
  

💖 Courtship and Spawning Ritual
Courtship Dance:

• Males perform circling, nudging, and fin flaring to attract females.
  
  

Egg Laying:

• Receptive females hover over nests, releasing eggs while males fertilize them.
  
  

• One female may lay 2,000–14,000 eggs; multiple females can use the same nest.
  
  

🛡 Male Parental Care

• After egg-laying, males take over completely:
  
  

  • Guarding nests 24/7
    
    

  • Fanning eggs for oxygen
    
    

  • Chasing away predators (perch, sunfish, crayfish, etc.)
    
    

• Eggs hatch in 5–10 days, depending on water temperature.
  
  

🐣 Post-Hatch (Fry Stage)

• Fry stay in the nest for a few days, absorbing yolk sacs.
  
  

• Then, they swim in small schools above the nest.
  
  

• Males continue guarding fry until they disperse.
  
  

⚠️ Vulnerability During Spawning

• Removing a nest-guarding male allows predators to consume eggs or fry.
  
  

• Practice ethical catch-and-release fishing to protect spawning success.
  
  

Help sustain Lake Simcoe's incredible smallmouth bass fishery. Know the signs, respect the spawn!