Nighttime Spawning Baitfish?

[CLofchik]

Was taking a walk with the dog & g/f last night around midnight, down in the bays in Hamilton Harbour there were a TON of middle sized baitfish surfacing. At first I thought they were fish rising for a hatch, but closer looks showed them coming to the surface and doing 2-3 tight circles then diving for bottom again.

 

Was that a baitfish spawn? Never got a close look at them but they were middle sized bait fish, 6"-8", def not the usual shiners or chubs I see down there. Is it alewife spawning season?

 

I'll try and get some video tonight.

[Master of Bait]

I've seen shad do that on Lake O before, usually getting hammered by a variety of sport fish - talk about putting a damper on a luv session.

 

To be honest I'm not sure if it was just a school of fish hunting shads down by trapping them on the surface or if there was some mating going on.

 

Bring on the pics!

[Rich]

Shads spawn 3 or 4 times a year, could have been their "summer spawn". I can just imagine the pike down there going nuts on them!