Blue Cat Spawn

[Mr Whiskers]

Does anyone have a history of when the cats shut down for the spawn and how long it lasts? Any feed back on how the bite changes before, during and after the spawn?

[Big Cat]

Gottheblues

Registered: 2-Aug-2001 12:00:00 AM
Location: Richmond, Va

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I've been fishing for them for over 10 years and in my opinion May is the worst month of the year b/c of the spawn. Unlike some other species, the females will not be actively feeding during this time. Yes, someone will get lucky and catch a decent size fish during the spawn but it is very spotty. Just look at the Times Dispatch reports during the month of May and you will see a huge decline in the number of reports. Then in June the reports will pick up again.

I'm a firm believer that it is water temp that causes them to spawn. Some experts are beginning to think that it might be the length of the day that causes it. But every year during the beginning of May the water temp reaches between 70-73 degrees during that time and they quit biting. Now, this is the hardest winter we have had in some time and we've had a messed up spring. The other day the water temp dipped in to the 60's again. I'm thinking that this will delay the spawn for some of the fish. Or it will take a little longer this year for the bite to get going again. Usually during the second week of June the bite starts hopping again. It could possibly delay things til the end of June this year. I'm eager to see how things will be affected.

[Gottheblues]

the water was close to 70 last week, now it dipped back to the low 60's in some places. Eberwein hammered some fish today so the bite is still on. Fishing could be good for another two weeks. I hope this doesn't happen though b/c they will come off the spawn later than normal. I usually start guiding again during the second week of June.

Generally the fishing gets hot again towards the later part of June. The fish are extremely spawned out then so you can catch a lot of fish but they will weigh a whole lot less then they will later in the summer. They will start fattening up again in July. Of the summer months, August is my favorite.

to answer your post. Pre-spawn fishing(April) is some of the best action of the year. During spawning(generally May thru early June) the fishing slows down for bigger fish. Post spawn(June) the action can be great at times

[bottomline]

Thank's for that report. I hope they will bite at least one more week[grin].
GTB'S, do you generally start fishing at night after the spawn when the weather gets hot during the day, or are you already fishing nights?

[Gottheblues]

Depends on the day of the week. during the weekends I don''t like to get on the water til it gets close to dark. I just hate boat traffic. during the week I'll start later in the afternoon and get a few hours of daylight in. My favorite times in the summer are just before the sun goes down and right before and after the sun rises.

this year I am probably going to do more morning trips and get off the water before the pleasure boaters get on the water. I'm just getting tired of fishing at night. Big fish can be caught during the day but you have to deal with blazing heat and millions of boaters. I've had outstanding trips fishing up to 11am and then from 3pm on. It just seems like that middle of the day period can be very slow at times. I'm not saying that you can't catch them then but it is not very consistent.

I usually day fish when the water is below 70 degrees. Mid Sept-April.

[bottomline]

Thank you very much! Hope to see ya on the water soon!

[kepone cats]

last weekend the water was 58-59 F degrees near the mouth of the chick... Garmin 240 Blue. - Kepone

[Gottheblues]

yesterday it was 67 at Deep Bottom.

[striperjoe32]

72 in my den............striperjoe

[kepone cats]

I have fished feeder creeks before in the spring where the water in the creek on an outgoing tide was in the low 70's, 72-73 F, and the main river was in the upper 50's. The shallow marshes heat up during sunny days. The dark mud absorbs light on low tide and heats up.