At first glance, the stretch of water along the Lake Athens shoreline looked pretty much like just about any other rimming the 1,500-acre reservoir near the East Texas town for which it was named.
It was not. It was special to some of the lake’s inhabitants. That became apparent on a second glance, this one made through a pair of polarized glasses.
The polarized lens cut the obscuring glare and shimmer of reflected/refracted sunlight on this early June morning, allowing a peek through the weak-tea water to the lake bottom 3 to 4 feet beneath the surface. The sight was something to make so many Texas anglers grin, with that smile triggered by memories or anticipation. Or, if lucky, both...
...June is spawning season for most of Texas’ sunfish. Driven by instinct, they seek out areas where the bottom holds favorable substrate — sand, gravel, rock or even hard clay. There, males and their consorts hover close to the bottom, vigorously fanning their tails and other fins, sweeping the bottom clear of silt and debris and leaving a clean, firm surface on which fertilized eggs will rest until they hatch.
Sunfish such as redears and bluegills swarm to prime spawning areas, congregating in relatively small areas. The result is scores of nests and spawning fish concentrated in small areas...
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https://www.chron.com/sports/outdoors/a ... 963008.php
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