They're here and healthy

[Old Ironmaker]

I have been watching the Smallmouth sit on their spawning beds for the last 20 years out in front, or is it behind our place? I have never seen such large males before which is good to see. Not as many beds as previous years right here but they are all bigger fish. They should be all done by opening based on their arrival 2 weeks ago.

 

It's fun watching the younger males try and run off the bedding fish and take over, that's what I think they are doing. Those kids today are lazy bums. It's strange that I haven't seen many Carp yet.

 

It should be another stellar Smallie season on Erie. Come on opener.

[captpierre]

There was talk a few years ago that the gobies were going to impact the survival rate of eggs/young. And that the adults would grow big feeding on gobies.

Less smaller fish.

Thoughts?

[Old Ironmaker]

Gobies are the bottom of the food chain. Bigger fish, lets hope so. They were big enough years back but yes the average size has increased. The neighbour caught an honest to goodness 7 pounder last year, it was obscene big. I have hooked a few 5's and they are lunkers. The beguns are almost black in colour.

Edited May 29, 2016 by Old Ironmaker

[manitoubass2]

Must be cool to watch!

 

It happens here once every few years but the conditions need to be perfect to have decent water clarity

[AKRISONER]

There was talk a few years ago that the gobies were going to impact the survival rate of eggs/young. And that the adults would grow big feeding on gobies.

Less smaller fish.

Thoughts?

 

lil intel from up on G bay

 

was fishing late october last year, the smallies should have been out over deep humps chasing shiners...nope, they were in 2 feet of water eating up all of the gobies on a rock shelf in schools.

 

we were seeing groups of 5lbers in a total feeding frenzy.

Edited May 31, 2016 by AKRISONER