Fish spawn calendar
Spawning shapes a fishing year more than weather does. The weeks before it are frequently the best of the season, the spawn itself is the slowest, and the recovery after takes a fortnight or more.
The months below are one calendar for the whole country, the same month lists our engine starts from. For bass, crappie, panfish, catfish, walleye, pike and musky, your forecast moves that calendar to where you fish, by when lakes at your latitude reach each species' spawning temperature. In a spawn month it also reads the water, so your daily grade can show pre-spawn or post-spawn when this calendar says spawning.
Pre-spawn
Staging and feeding hard. Often the best fishing of the year.
Spawning
On beds and defending rather than feeding. Handle carefully and release quickly.
Post-spawn
Recovering. Bites are slower and less predictable for a few weeks.
Fall feed-up
Feeding ahead of winter. The other annual peak.
January
Pre-spawn
Spawning
February
Pre-spawn
Sheepshead, White Bass, Barred Surfperch, Peacock Bass, Steelhead, California Halibut, Rainbow Trout
Spawning
March
Pre-spawn
Northern Pike, White Bass, Mahi-Mahi, Barred Surfperch, Black Sea Bass, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Musky, Spotted Bass, Steelhead, Walleye, White Sturgeon, Spotted Seatrout, Yellow Perch, California Halibut, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, Flounder
Spawning
Black Drum, Peacock Bass, Rainbow Trout, Rockfish, Sheepshead, Steelhead
Post-spawn
April
Pre-spawn
Northern Pike, Mahi-Mahi, Smallmouth Bass, Black Sea Bass, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Musky, Spotted Bass, Striped Bass, Wahoo, Walleye, White Sturgeon, Blue Catfish, Bluefish, Spotted Seatrout, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Cutthroat Trout, Tarpon, Tautog, Blacktip Shark, Flounder
Spawning
Barred Surfperch, Black Drum, California Halibut, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Musky, Northern Pike, Peacock Bass, Rainbow Trout, Sheepshead, Spotted Bass, Steelhead, Walleye, White Bass, Yellow Perch
Post-spawn
May
Pre-spawn
Smallmouth Bass, Flathead Catfish, Striped Bass, Wahoo, Blue Catfish, Bluefish, Red Snapper, Yellowfin Tuna, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Tarpon
Spawning
Barred Surfperch, Black Sea Bass, Blacktip Shark, Blue Catfish, Bluegill, California Halibut, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Cutthroat Trout, Largemouth Bass, Mahi-Mahi, Musky, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Spotted Seatrout, Steelhead, Striped Bass, Tarpon, Tautog, Walleye, White Bass, White Sturgeon, Yellow Perch
Post-spawn
Black Drum, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Musky, Northern Pike, Peacock Bass, Rainbow Trout, Sheepshead, Spotted Bass, Steelhead, Walleye, White Bass, Yellow Perch
June
Pre-spawn
Spawning
Barred Surfperch, Black Sea Bass, Blacktip Shark, Blue Catfish, Bluefish, Bluegill, California Halibut, Channel Catfish, Cutthroat Trout, Flathead Catfish, Mahi-Mahi, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Seatrout, Striped Bass, Tarpon, Tautog, Wahoo, White Sturgeon
Post-spawn
Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Musky, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Steelhead, Striped Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Yellow Perch
Fall feed-up
July
Pre-spawn
Spawning
Black Sea Bass, Blue Catfish, Bluefish, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Mahi-Mahi, Red Snapper, Snook, Spotted Seatrout, Tarpon, Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna
Post-spawn
Barred Surfperch, Black Sea Bass, Blacktip Shark, Blue Catfish, Bluegill, California Halibut, Channel Catfish, Cutthroat Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Tarpon, Tautog, White Sturgeon
Fall feed-up
August
Pre-spawn
Spawning
Post-spawn
Black Sea Bass, Blue Catfish, Bluefish, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Mahi-Mahi, Spotted Seatrout, Tarpon
September
Pre-spawn
Coho Salmon, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Chinook Salmon, Kokanee, Lake Trout, Landlocked Salmon, Redfish (Red Drum)
Spawning
Post-spawn
Fall feed-up
Black Sea Bass, Musky, Bluefish, Cutthroat Trout, Flathead Catfish, Northern Pike, Striped Bass, White Sturgeon, Flounder, Pacific Halibut, Spotted Bass, Spotted Seatrout, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Yellowfin Tuna, Brown Trout, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Redfish (Red Drum), Rockfish, White Bass, Blacktip Shark, Brook Trout, Lingcod, Mahi-Mahi, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Tarpon, Bluegill, California Halibut
October
Pre-spawn
Coho Salmon, Brown Trout, Lingcod, Pacific Halibut, Redfish (Red Drum)
Spawning
Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Flounder, Kokanee, Lake Trout, Landlocked Salmon, Redfish (Red Drum)
Post-spawn
Fall feed-up
Black Sea Bass, Musky, Bluefish, Cutthroat Trout, Flathead Catfish, Northern Pike, Striped Bass, Tautog, White Sturgeon, Blue Catfish, Flounder, Red Snapper, Snook, Spotted Bass, Spotted Seatrout, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Yellowfin Tuna, Barred Surfperch, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Rockfish, Steelhead, Wahoo, White Bass, Black Drum, Mahi-Mahi, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Tarpon, Bluegill, California Halibut
November
Pre-spawn
Spawning
Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Flounder, Kokanee, Lake Trout, Landlocked Salmon, Redfish (Red Drum)
Post-spawn
December
Pre-spawn
Spawning
Post-spawn
Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Flounder, Lake Trout, Landlocked Salmon, Redfish (Red Drum)
Fall feed-up
When do they spawn?
When do largemouth bass spawn?
Largemouth bass spawn when the water reaches 60 to 68°F in the north and 65 to 75°F in the South and Florida, where they spawn warmer. On the calendar below that is April and May. Where you fish moves it: lakes reach that temperature about 6 weeks sooner in central Florida and about 7 weeks later in Minnesota, and your forecast moves the calendar to match.
When do crappie spawn?
Crappie spawn when the water reaches 56 to 68°F. On the calendar below that is April and May. Where you fish moves it: lakes reach that temperature about 11 weeks sooner in central Florida and about 5 weeks later in Minnesota, and your forecast moves the calendar to match.
When do channel catfish spawn?
Channel catfish spawn when the water reaches 70 to 84°F. On the calendar below that is May to July. Where you fish moves it: lakes reach that temperature about 7 weeks sooner in central Florida and about 7 weeks later in Minnesota, and your forecast moves the calendar to match.
When do bluegill spawn?
Bluegill spawn when the water reaches 67 to 80°F. On the calendar below that is May to July. Where you fish moves it: lakes reach that temperature about 8 weeks sooner in central Florida and about 5 weeks later in Minnesota, and your forecast moves the calendar to match.
When do smallmouth bass spawn?
Smallmouth bass spawn when the water reaches 58 to 65°F. On the calendar below that is May and June. Where you fish moves it: lakes reach that temperature about 5 weeks sooner in Tennessee and about 2 weeks later in northern Minnesota, and your forecast moves the calendar to match.
When do walleye spawn?
Walleye spawn when the water reaches 42 to 52°F. On the calendar below that is April and May. Where you fish moves it: lakes reach that temperature about 9 weeks sooner in Tennessee and about 1 week later in northern Minnesota, and your forecast moves the calendar to match.
When do yellow perch spawn?
Yellow perch spawn when the water reaches 44 to 55°F. On the calendar below that is April and May. Where you fish moves it: lakes reach that temperature about 5 weeks sooner in Missouri and about 2 weeks later in northern Minnesota, and your forecast moves the calendar to match.
When do rainbow trout spawn?
Rainbow trout spawn when the water reaches 45 to 55°F. On the calendar below that is March to May. They spawn in streams, so your forecast keeps that calendar and reads the water in those months instead of moving it by latitude. Lake water is what the latitude adjustment is measured on, and a stream fed by snowmelt or a cold dam release is not lake water.
Spawn timing is a thermometer question
A spawn month with cold water is not a spawn. Enter your location and we will read the water where you actually fish, rather than assuming the calendar.