I'll fish areas where fish bed, but not target any bass guarding a nest. Usually during the spawn you have shallow bass hanging out waiting to spawn. I only cast topwater lures to watch bass form a wake as it darts forth to slam my lure - usually 10' of more away. No bass would go that far from the nest and make that viscous and attack. Not all bass spawn at the same time in any one water and I target pre-spawners (post spawn bass not in the mood to do anything but recuperate.)

I don't know if catching and releasing a fish off the bed hurts the fishery, but I respect the vulnerability of fish on the nest and don't feel that it's sporting. Tried it once, caught a 3lb bass and then never again - and that was over 35 years ago.

(note: the highlighted area was me quoting myself from Chrome where hypertext isn't allowed.)