Spring Ahead… For Bass

Spring is a time of rejuvenation (particularly in “snowbird” country) – a time for trees and plants to bloom, its also time for bass to begin spawning.

After a fairly sedentary winter, bass are looking to feed before the spawn. They will eventually move from their deep-water wintering spots into shallower areas in creeks and/or canals.

The key in the spring is to find the warmest water, because that’s where the bass will migrate. I have a Lowrance temperature gauge on my Ranger 518 DVX, which I use to find these areas on the body of water I’m fishing.

Pre-spawn fishing can be great, with the right tackle. Hanging on my CastAway Graphite Rods, are three of my favorite springtime baits: suspending jerkbaits, ½ ounce spinnerbaits and the venerable jig and pig.

Suspending jerkbaits, like Rapala’s Husky Jerk, are great search baits in the spring. You can work them as s-l-o-w as you need to (based on weather conditions and water temperature), pausing it for up to 30 seconds between retrieving jerks - to give the bass a good look at it.

A slow rolled, Colorado-bladed spinnerbait is also good for spring bass searching. This type of blade vibrates better than willowleaf blades - which the bass can sense with their lateral lines, even in muddy water.

The jig and pig is my “clean-up” bait, used for methodically working around laydown trees, docks, riprap or submerged structure (rockpiles, stumps, old cars, etc.). I prefer using “natural“ trailers (like Uncle Josh) in colder water, because they seem to stay more flexible in those conditions.

So when the buds start forming on the trees (if not sooner!), make a plan to be on the water so you can “spring ahead” for bass.

-Jeff Morton

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