Quote:
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Originally Posted by Don Cavey
As for the sunfish swooping into the bed when a bass is pulled off, we have not seen that in the 10 years we have been fishing there. I would say in 90 percent of the times, the bass goes right back to the bed immediately.
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From:
http://www.nybass.com/illustrated/ar...nglingpoll.htm.
"The University of Ohio did a study on Lake Erie Smallmouth. They pulled the guarding male off his bed and kept him off for three minutes. They found that on average, 50-75 percent of the eggs were predated in that short period of time. When the bass was released, the researchers found that half the time, the male never returned to his nest which subsequently doomed all of the eggs.
"Also, I should mention that studies have shown that only about 30% of mature Lake Erie Smallmouth spawn in any given season. So with that said, you tell me which is does more damage to the Lake Erie smallmouth bass FISHERY - pulling that smallie off his bed or catching a single fish in July?"
From
http://www.lakegeorgeassociation.org...ake_george.htm
Fishing off beds is illegal at Lake George.