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Early spawning this year?
- Thread starter Paul F
- Start date
Sharky
Active member
Love to oblige but I'm really busy!
L
levelspiker
Guest
I doubt that they`ll spawn early,unless we get a very mild february.It`s been a much colder winter than the last few years.
the cold spells may be short,but so are the milder spells!I believe that the water temp needs to reach around 50 degrees fahrenheit before they will spawn.
last year,the pike on my local river spawned in the first week of april.the earliest that i witnessed pike spawning was several years ago when we had a very mild late january and february,the pike on the local canal spawned in the 3rd week of feb.
the cold spells may be short,but so are the milder spells!I believe that the water temp needs to reach around 50 degrees fahrenheit before they will spawn.
last year,the pike on my local river spawned in the first week of april.the earliest that i witnessed pike spawning was several years ago when we had a very mild late january and february,the pike on the local canal spawned in the 3rd week of feb.
L
levelspiker
Guest
if it doesn`t warm up in somerset soon,i can`t see the pike spawning before april this year
J
jon helyer
Guest
Or perhaps May!
stuart clough
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Daylength is likely to be the primary trigger, with water temperataure secondary. In this case the temperature history over the winter will be largely irrelevant. The number of daylight hours will tell them when the time is about right, and a day or two of increasing temperatures will see the spawning commence - same time roughly as last year, and the year before, and....
Eric Edwards
Well-known member
If we take what you say as correct Stuart (and I've no reason to doubt it) then it should make little difference whether you're talking about a water on the south coast or in the Highlands since we'll be close to the equinox at spawning time and day length will be the same everywhere.
On the other hand, if a day or two of increasing temperature is necessary, fish in small waters should spawn first since big waters take a lot of warming up.
I'm fishing a big lake that currently (well, on Tuesday anyway) is at 5.4 degrees. I'm expecting to have another month's fishing before they have their fun.
On the other hand, if a day or two of increasing temperature is necessary, fish in small waters should spawn first since big waters take a lot of warming up.
I'm fishing a big lake that currently (well, on Tuesday anyway) is at 5.4 degrees. I'm expecting to have another month's fishing before they have their fun.
L
levelspiker
Guest
i read somewhere that the water temp has to be 10c before pike will spawn(possibly an article by barrie rickards).i`ve seen pike spawning on my local canal as early as mid feb after a very mild january\ early feb and as late as early april after a cold late winter.last year,it was cold,with periods of sleet and snow in somerset ,from mid feb to mid march ,followed by very mild weather,i witnessed pike spawning in the first week of april.
stuart clough
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The spawning season is known to be particularly protracted for pike.
In terms of day length being the primary cue, it does not neccesarily follow that where the day length is the same, spawning will occur at the same time. The "best" time to spawn will vary between waters according to incubation times and food availability for the young pikelets, and also what proportion of the population switch to fish feeding during the first and second year. This obviously varies between waters, and has eveolved over generations. Day length indicates the season is correct (for any given population), and temperature sets the whole process off.
In terms of day length being the primary cue, it does not neccesarily follow that where the day length is the same, spawning will occur at the same time. The "best" time to spawn will vary between waters according to incubation times and food availability for the young pikelets, and also what proportion of the population switch to fish feeding during the first and second year. This obviously varies between waters, and has eveolved over generations. Day length indicates the season is correct (for any given population), and temperature sets the whole process off.
T
Tomo(b.a)
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TAKE NOTE TEMP MEANS EVERYTHING.I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT.
Steve Barrie
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These are extracts from the PAC website.
The spawning trigger depends on various factors including water temperature which is usually between 8 and 12 degrees celsius when spawning takes place.
Female pike may fail to shed their eggs when there are large temperature fluctuations during the spring. Unlike some other coarse fish they appear to be incapable or re-absorbing these eggs - which can constitute 20% of their body weight - and by early summer these fish often die.
The second statement could explain why certain waters appear to have had a fall in numbers of pike in the last couple of years especially as they have been unusually mild, with short cold snaps.
The spawning trigger depends on various factors including water temperature which is usually between 8 and 12 degrees celsius when spawning takes place.
Female pike may fail to shed their eggs when there are large temperature fluctuations during the spring. Unlike some other coarse fish they appear to be incapable or re-absorbing these eggs - which can constitute 20% of their body weight - and by early summer these fish often die.
The second statement could explain why certain waters appear to have had a fall in numbers of pike in the last couple of years especially as they have been unusually mild, with short cold snaps.
stuart clough
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If temp was the only cue then pike would also spawn in the autumn when water temps were 8 to 12.
C
Chris Bishop
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If day length was the thing, they'd all spawn more or less the same time. I've caught spawned-out fish in Feb and fish stuffed with spawn a couple of miles down the road on a different type of water within days of each other.
All the pike on a water don't just throw a switch and spawn at once as well, it can go on over the space of a couple of weeks.
You'd think water temp would be important but I doubt it's the only thing. Different parts or depths of the same water can vary several degrees, the water in a river or stillwater isn't like the water in your bath ie all the same temp.
I'd have said growth of the weed they spawn is probably important as well. With milder winters and less rain, you notice it stays "live" on some places right through the winter now - the big weedbeds have died off but when you occasionally pull some up it has green tips instead of rotten black slime.
It's got a head start in spring, wonder if this has brought it forward a few weeks over the last decade or two.
Interesting subject.
All the pike on a water don't just throw a switch and spawn at once as well, it can go on over the space of a couple of weeks.
You'd think water temp would be important but I doubt it's the only thing. Different parts or depths of the same water can vary several degrees, the water in a river or stillwater isn't like the water in your bath ie all the same temp.
I'd have said growth of the weed they spawn is probably important as well. With milder winters and less rain, you notice it stays "live" on some places right through the winter now - the big weedbeds have died off but when you occasionally pull some up it has green tips instead of rotten black slime.
It's got a head start in spring, wonder if this has brought it forward a few weeks over the last decade or two.
Interesting subject.