The Males Do Most Of The Work

Smallmouth bass are in full-tilt spawn mode across much of the Great Lakes region right now. Depending on location, smallies may spawn in anywhere from 2 feet to as much as 12-15 feet in depth. Beds will be fanned out by males so that a layer of clean gravel is uncovered to hold the eggs until they hatch. The males stay with the nest and keep the eggs clean of silt and sediment. After hatching, males will guard the fry from predators until they can fend for themselves.