Ahhhhh, spring. The time of year to hook an absolute monster bass.
Understanding how fish transition from the colder months to the warming spring months is important to every spring angler and will ultimately help you catch more fish this time of year.
Below we'll cover some of the details for springtime fishing and what you can expect before hitting the water.
Spring Bass Fishing Phases
The weather is slowly starting to warm back up, flowers are beginning to bloom, and the fish are starting to move back to shallower water after hanging out offshore for the winter.
For most anglers this means getting their winterized boat out for the first time in the new year and for good reasons too. The weather isn't as bitter cold as it was in the winter and for the most part the bite is beginning to ramp up as well.
You may not see as many pleasure boats or jet skis on the water at this time but expect A LOT of fishing anglers on the water. This is the time of year where most people site fish for the bass of a lifetime.
Spring can be summed up as being broken into 3 parts: Pre-spawn, Spawn, and Post-spawn.
Phase 1: The Pre-spawn
For most bodies of water, the bass have spent a lot of their winter months at deeper depths and hugged up against some form of cover or structure. As the weather and water temperatures begin warming up the fish will begin making their way to shallower water to begin the spawning phase.
This can be a tough time to catch fish, but the opportunity should not be passed up. Because fish are on the move during the pre-spawn this is a great time to cover a lot of water and try and get a bite.
If you're on a body of water that you are familiar with you may already have certain spawning areas located. This time of year can come easy to you since knowing that the fish wont be too far from their spawning areas.
If you're on a new body of water look for places that have flats that are offshore and access deeper water. There's a good chance that fish are staged somewhere in between the deeper water and the shallower flats (a location where most bass will favor for the spawn).
Techniques and baits
Bass are on the move this time of year so consider starting with "search baits". In most cases these are your hard baits that can quickly be casted and retrieved. Think crankbaits (billed and lipless) and jerkbaits.
The water is still cold so you don't have to necessarily scream your lure through the water column.
Jerkbaits are great at slowing down the pace of things. Two trusted jerkbaits on the market can be found below:
Rapala's X-Rap: https://amzn.to/3yGBdcu
Luck E Strike Rick Clunn Series: https://amzn.to/3yGQJot
Any white or minnow color lure will get the job done this time of year. Also consider crankbaits if you're comfortable fishing a particular depth of water and are able to use what's on the bottom to your advantage. Crankbaits are great at catching fish when you're able to make contact with cover or the bottom to create a reaction bite.
Options to consider for pre-spawn bass...
Deeper diving billed crankbait by Strike King: https://amzn.to/3LntRNs
Lipless Strike King Red Eye Shad: https://amzn.to/3wuURFl
Phase 2: The Spawn
Largemouth bass typically begin creating their spawning beds and lay their eggs when water temperatures reach the mid 50's. Most agree that the spawn takes place when the water temperature is between 55- and 65-degree Fahrenheit so be on the lookout for these temperatures.
Also note that these temperatures may range depending on where you live. In southern states like Florida the spawn may take place when water temperatures are between 60- and 70-degree Fahrenheit. For states further north, bass may begin moving up to shallower waters once water temperatures reach as low as 45°F!
Techniques and baits
Now it's time to start targeting those big females and protective males on their beds. Think about using lures that can remain in the strike zone for longer periods of time.
Jig: A jig is a near perfect lure for these applications. Jigs can be accurately casted and will remain in the strike zone for as long as you need to get that bedding bass to bite. Consider two different approaches
1. Cast the jig past the bed and retrieve it back as if it was a creature approaching the bed.
Drag it, twitch it, or hop it into the bed and then let it set there. Sometimes the fish will ignore it, sometimes the fish will simply pick up the tail end of the jig trailer and carry it off the bed, and other times the bass will completely destroy it.
2. Do your best to cast the jig directly over the bed. Allow the bait to fall completely vertical to try and create a reaction bite where the bass simply can't resist the lure.
When fishing a jig, look no further than the Booyah Boo jig (https://amzn.to/3LeCAS1). Pair it with a trailer and you're ready to go!
Dropshot: Often overlooked when bed fishing but a dropshot rig will not only stay in front of the fishes face but it will remain suspended off the bottom due to the nature of a dropshot. Once on the bed a simple little twitch of the wrist is enough to give your lure action without having it removed from the spawning bed. Pair your rig with a Roboworm (https://amzn.to/3FPU3iy) and you just might have the best looking livewell on the water.
Phase 3: The Post-spawn
One could argue that the post-spawn is the toughest time of the year to catch bass. However, don't count yourself out and the amazing opportunity to be able to fish a technique you're not so familiar with fishing.
Post-spawn bass, especially the females, are pretty burnt out from the spawn. Males will be scattered while females will recover in a nearby location from their bed before beginning their move back to slightly deeper waters. Note: The appetite of bass, especially females, isn't as high as it was going into the spawn.
Don't fool yourself though. There is still fish to be caught during this time of year and for many anglers it starts with having a good understanding of your electronics. Since fish are back on the move, having a good understanding on your electronics (sonar, GPS) will help you really key in on where the fish are for the body of water you're fishing.
Electronics
Your electronics will be a game changer for you this time of year. Yes, you may lose an hour or so of actually time fishing but it can pay off if you're able to find fish closer to where the spawn recently took place.
If you only have 2D sonar look for areas close to the spawning grounds that have changes in depth. A good place to start is near a lake or river channel. Find the channel and then scan the channel for areas that a bass may be interested in (submerged brush piles, weed lines, etc.).
Humminbird makes excellent 2D fish finders that have a small profile, adjustable scan angles, and barely drain any juice from your batteries. Check out the Humminbird PiranhaMAX (https://amzn.to/37QkEzz) for a well-rounded fish finder that is suitable for any boat, kayak, canoe, or the like!
If you have down scan and side scan capabilities leverage your electronics to really get a good understanding on what's below you and around you. Most of these devices are rigged with GPS cards and maps already and make it super easy to make waypoints for spots of interest.
Both Lowrance and Humminbird units get the job done. See below for two popular and trusted models on the market.
Humminbird Helix: https://amzn.to/37PPSqH
Lowrance Hook Reveal: https://amzn.to/37T6rC4
Techniques and baits
Once you've located some fish go with something that allows for a slow, yet effective presentation. A carolina rig (https://amzn.to/3wCGH5o) is great for this. Carolina rigs are easy to cast and can cover a lot of water despite being fished at a slow to moderate pace.
Pair your rig with 4-8" texas-rigged soft plastic trailer for best results. Goto soft plastics for this time of year are both worms and lizards.
Happy spring fishing!
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