It’s early in the day, but watching the stream of data flow through BASSTrakk shows a repeat of Day 1. That is a steady flow of bass being caught in the 1- to 2-pound range. On Day 3 that means a couple of things to watch.
First, the small fish could be a sign of bigger things to come.
Could those barely keeper-size bass be males coming in to make spawning beds?
Could a huge wave of females be behind them?
The answers to both questions are theory, not fact. Although yesterday I did visit with a college friend, Eric Johnson, a regional fisheries biologist for the Florida Fish and Wlidlife Conservation Commission. He told me that here the fish can potentially spawn for several months, beginning in November.
Another key is these fish never go into winter mode like elsewhere in the country. So it doesn’t take much of a temperature rise to stimulate the urge to move shallow and spawn.
The other thing to watch is the daytime high temperatures. Should the temperature reach a magic point then females could very much move shallow and spark the big bite. Today’s high is forecast to be 81 degrees and about the same tomorrow. On Championship Sunday the high only reaches 76 degrees. Here, a few degrees can mean a lot.