Fish Spawning times. How do you tell when they'll be spawning? How to predict? St. Louis, MO area.?

Question

Not just bass, catfish, bluegill as well

Answer 1

take a look at this link it is a pretty good piece of info to have aas to the habits of fish spawning

bass:
Spawning Habits - Spawning occurs from December through May, but usually begins in February and March in most of Florida when water temperatures reach 58 to 65 degrees and continues as temperatures rise into the 70s. The male builds saucer-shaped nests 20 to 30 inches in diameter by placing its lower jaw near the bottom and rotating around this central location. Bass prefer to build nests in hard-bottom areas along shallow shorelines or in protected areas such as canals and coves. Depending on her size, the female can lay up to 100,000 eggs, which are fertilized as they settle into the nest. After spawning is completed, usually five to 10 days, the male guards the nest and eggs and later the young (sometimes called fry) attacking anything that approaches the nest. The female bass stays near the nest or may swim a short distance and remain listless for up to a day. After hatching, the fry swim in tight schools, disbanding when the small fish reach a length of about one inch.

catfish:
Spawning Habits - Spawning occurs mostly in rivers and streams in the spring and early summer when waters warm to 70 to 85 degrees. They also will spawn in larger lakes where suitable habitat is available. Eggs are deposited in nests secluded under banks or logs or over open bottom. The male selects the site, often a natural cavern or hole, clears the nest and guards the eggs and young. A female may lay 2,000 to 21,000 eggs that hatch in six to 10 days depending on water temperature. Males protect the fry until they leave the nest in about a week.

bluegill:
Spawning Habits - Bluegills are well known for "bedding" in large groups, with their circular beds touching one another. Bedding occurs in water two to six feet deep over sand, shell or gravel, and often among plant roots when the bottom is soft. Spawning occurs from April through October with the peak in May and June, when water temperature rises to about 78-80 degrees. A female may lay 2,000 to 63,000 eggs, which hatch 30 to 35 hours after fertilization.

crappie:
Spawning Habits - Spawning occurs from February to April when water temperatures reach 62 to 65 degrees. They nest in colonies. Circular nest are fanned by males over gravel or soft-muddy bottoms and frequently around submerged vegetation in waters from three to eight feet deep. After spawning, males guard the eggs and fry. Females may produce between 11,000 and 188,000 eggs.

Answer 2

Basically I have found the best way is to go to the lake repetedly and look for Bass Beds on sunny wind free days when the water gets to about 65 degrees . Just guessing maybe the first week of May where your at.

Also I have found the best spawning/fishing times are near full moon or a new moon at least here in FL. They seem to spawn hardest then

Bluegill spawn shortly after bass and catfish about the same time as bass IMO.

I was on a trip out west and I fished at a KOA campground years ago just outside of St Louis and caught over 20 bass in less than 2 hours one evening . It was in late May they were spawned out then

Answer 3

If you talking about Largemouth Bass the magic number is 65. Once the water temp is 65 the females will move up onto bed. The males can be found in shallow water getting the beds ready prior to 65. I would say about 55.

Answer 4

Normally when the water temp reaches 65o its on like a lullet in a heard of cattle.