Spring is freshly upon us, and there is no better season to target the iconic bass fish than now! As the waters heat up, even the most docile largemouth bass can grow aggressive and put up a fight on the other end of your fishing line, which makes spring the most exciting time to go hunting for them. Continue reading to glean everything you need to know to reel in your largest bass yet!
Where to Look
The best way to catch a fish is to think like a fish – so let’s delve into the mind of a bass! This species of fish spends most of its winter days foraging for food in deep water, but they migrate back inshore as spring kicks in to set up their nests in warmer, shallow waters. Bass prefer to spawn in spots with structure, so keep an eye out for fallen trees, rocks, or anything else that can serve as cover. Keep in mind that bass are always on the run, so one day’s hot spot might skunk you the next day!
Best Weather for Bass
When it comes to bass fishing, the elements of nature can very much be used to your advantage. On overcast days, bass tend to move around the water and explore the shallower parts with greater frequency. Additionally, they tend to be more aggressive when it rains by leaving their cover to feed, and the precipitation makes it harder for the fish to spot you. Finally, use a nice breeze to your advantage – the wind spurs bait fish to congregate in cover and bass will not miss the opportunity for an easy meal.
Three Stages of Bass Spawning
Bass spawning in spring can be broken down into three categories: pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn. During these phases, bass will either be looking for a mate, holing up in their nests, or moving back out into deeper waters, and understanding their goal will help you achieve yours:
• Early Spring: Bass will stick to shallow waters with access to deeper waters in case temperatures drop again, such as points and coves.
• Mid-Spring: Most bass spawning takes place in the middle of spring, when female fish lie in wait for males to set up their spawning beds. Bass are most aggressive before or during the spawn because they do not want anything to interrupt them.
• Late Spring: After spawn, bass typically go hunting on lesser prey to fill up after all their hard work. Bass like to wait behind cover while they hunt, so those are the places to target to find post-spawn bass.
The Best Fishing Lures
Bass prefer a variety of lures, meaning that there is not a singular solution to attracting these fish. However, their most preferred lures are spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, and jigs.
• Bass rely heavily on their sense of hearing to hunt and spinnerbaits create vibrations that make the fish think that prey is nearby
• Jerkbait lures are shaped like smaller fish that bass go crazy for, and a simple jerking motion is enough to trick them into thinking it is a real, live fish
• Like jerkbaits, jigs give off an appearance similar to crawfish and can attract some real beasts when dragged near the bottom of spawning waters
The best bass fishing adventures require the best bass fishing boats, and Blazer Boats offers models that come packed with features that tournament anglers need to be at their best at every level – from weekend fishing to professional competition. Don’t settle for less and give us a call today to get your own high performance angling boat and start fishing like the pros!