Tidal Spawning Bass
Always kind of pondered this in the back of my head... but being a NJ angler and having the opportunity to fish for tidal bass right here at home (Delaware River). Always wondered how the spawn actually plays out in a tidal system with a 6'-8' tidal swing 4 times a day. How do these fish get enough sun exposure for their eggs to be able to grow and hatch them when the tide swings so much? And what are areas that one should look for?
The Delaware River offers a lot of challenges for spawning bass. You are right to be concerned about them getting enough sunlight and warmth. This is why the Delaware river spawn occurs almost a month after spawning occurs in lakes in this area. The bass wait until the water is warm enough before they get started. This begins in May on the river. They place their beds one foot below the low tide mark. This allows the sun to have the maximum impact on the eggs. I'm sure that is the reason that the river has never had a huge population of bass. I'm sure it's tied to the spawn.
Where you need to look for spawning bass is in the man-made backwaters. Harbors and coves. Two of the most popular spawning areas on the river are Dredge Harbour and Tully Town cove. Look for other areas like this that are near main river or creek current, but completely blocked from the heavy flow. The really cool thing about river fish is that they will bite fairly aggressively on the beds. Things like shakey heads, crankbaits, and small jigs are great tools to catch spawning largemouth on the river. Good luck!
