Well they may have had some nice smooth
plastic barrels and slick mud to have spawned in
Also take note of this female I caught
I understand that stressed fish will not spawn and
reabsorb their eggs.
This fish seemed healthy and well fed but retained its eggs.
About half the flathead we have caught appeared to have spawned
and the rest have not. I figure that many spawning fish
were not feeding and others have found a good food source
that means they do not have to hunt very long when they feed.
The water is a little low but temp is more comfortable than most years. It is
possible that panfish cannot hide in brush at night because most is along shorelines
that are now exposed due to low water. Small fish without brush would be easy
pickins for prowling flathead.
We have found evidence of inexperienced flathead fishermen
mis handling
flathead (2 dead flathead) but they would make no discernable impact on the entire population.
I have had slow spots in many years and the fish returned to feeding normally. I
never understand if the move locations or
merely change feeding patterns.
I do believe the big fish are eating something somewhere :
:
