Chickamauga summer pool, and the spawn?

[hoggerhead]

Just wondering when they start to raise the water in a couple weeks if it affects the bass that will be on bed? I mean whats the fish gonna think when they are camped out in 3 feet of water on bed, and the water level raises? Do they move shallower, or do they stay put?

 

[polo-dog]

HH, every year that is a big potential problem. The water temp would have to increase by quite a bit to affect the bass spawn much as ths fish usually don't spawn in large numbers until the first full moon after the water temp is greater than 65 degrees. The crappie spawn has more potential to be messed up as they spawn when the water temp is 60 to 66 degrees. I have read some studies that show that rising water is not a problem for the spawn, in fact if the water is rising it can really be the best thing for the spawn. The biggest potential problem is if we get some big rains just prior to the spawn and TVA in it's wisdom decides that it's not ready for the water to be as high as it gets after the rain and they let bring the water level down during the spawn. Spawning beds that are high and dry have no chance of being successful but beds that are deeper than when they were made are still okay. That's the major potential problem that comes into play during the spawn in my experience.

 

[outcaster]

The rising water during the spawn makes sight fishing beds difficult. A bed that was in 15inches of water gets covered by 3-6 feet of water in just a few days (depending on rainfall and TVA). During the spawn don't ignore water 4-8 ft deep for spawning fish.