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Bass Spawn Map 4-21 thru 4-27
Weekly Reports
21-27 April
Spring has arrived and warm weather punctuated by brief and minor cold fronts will be the rule rather than the exception. The spawn band has moved little from last week, but warm and stable weather coupled with increasing daylength should light up the bass, and the pre-spawn activity will rapidly advance northward. While some spawning activity will continue, anglers fishing in the southern half of southeastern Atlantic and Gulf coast states will do better focusing on post-spawn bass.
check here each week for updates on what the bass are doing, where they are, and what the pros are catching em on:
http://www.versus.com/blogs/bass-spawn-map/
**Here's what's going on right now!
Maryland and Northeastern Virginia: Potomac River
Robert Pierson reported the bass are spawning in marinas, and this spawning activity should peak this week. The enthusiastic FLW Tour pro from nearby Herndon, Virginia expects the spawn in the bays and pockets off the river to begin this week and be at full throttle with the full moon. Pierson advises anglers fishing the marinas to toss Senkos or a slowly sinking worm to any target that has 6 inches to 4 feet of water around it. For pre-spawn bass in the river pockets and bays, fish spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and wide-wobbling crankbaits around chunk rock. Slow roll those baits to let the bass kill them. Spots with wood on rock is golden.
Pro's Edge: To catch that important kicker fish, Pierson pitches a black-blue jig with a 3" crawfish trailer to every piece of cover he can find. Use stout line and hold on!
Eastern Tennessee: Fort Loudon
The FLW Tour event is at Fort Loudon and Tellico reservoirs this week. Tour veteran David Walker of nearby Sevierville, Tennessee shared his forecast for the week. The black bass spawn is on. Smallmouth bass are spawning, and many are post spawn. Spotted bass are in the middle of their spawn. The largemouth spawn is just starting. Bed fishing for spots and largemouth can be effective. Check out pockets and bays with the clearest water to see the deeper fish; the best pockets will be in still water at the backs of creeks and bays. Some largemouth and spots will also spawn along main channel banks; Walker advised targeting rocks, trees, and docks on 45 degree banks. Walker pitches lizards, tubes, and compact jigs with shortened trailers to trip the trigger of bedding bass. For transition fish, Walker looks where stretches of bluffs/large rock change to gradual banks with smaller rock. He advises anglers to quickly cover a lot of water with crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits to locate fish, then slow down and thoroughly fish the area with jigs and Texas-rigged or Carolina-rigged soft plastics.
Pro's Edge: When the fishing is tough, Walker fishes weightless soft plastics on banks and around docks. The weightless worms give fish something to look at and, at the same time, makes anglers slow down.
Southwestern Missouri: Table Rock Lake
FLW Tour newcomer Eric Olliverson reported that water temperature is just climbing into the 60s in the lower part of this Ozark Mountains lake. Olliverson prefers to fish in the clearer water in the main lake. He fishes Damiki Striker jerkbaits and single-tail grubs along chunk rock and gravel main-lake banks for smallies and spots and always selects windy banks over calm banks. Olliverson targets largemouths at the mouths of feeder creeks and pockets off the creeks with gravel and chunk rock bottom. Again, preference is always for the windy banks. Lacking wind, Olliverson backs off the bank and points. He holds his boat in 28-30 feet of water and casts a Damiki Miki finesse worm on a split-shot rig or shakey head toward points and gravel banks.
Pro's Edge: Table Rock is clear. When bites are hard to find, downsizing line is a common tactic. Olliverson takes it to an extreme-he uses fluorocarbon line as light as 4 pound test. To get good hook sets and control the fish on such a delicate set up, he tightens the drag but is always prepared to back reel to avoid breaking off a surging fish.
Northeastern Oklahoma: Grand Lake
FLW Tour pro Edwin Evers forecasts the bass to start spawning on Grand Lake this week. You won't be able to see fish on the beds. In the lower lake, Evers fishes a Carolina rig with a Yum Wooly Hawg Tail or a shakey head on pea gravel banks and in pockets of coves and the main lake. Concentrate your search in water 5 to 10 feet deep. In the upper lake, Evers casts and pitches a black/blue shadow Yum Wooly Bug to wood or anything that will hold a bass in 1 to 4 feet of water. Anywhere in the lake, fish the backside of the numerous docks.
Pro's Edge: Evers advises anglers to fish very slowly-visualize a fish on a bed and fish your bait to temp the rascal.
Central Arizona: Roosevelt Lake
This lake is full of bass and they're spawning big time right now. The water is up and there is lots of flooded brush. With so many fish and so much cover, FLW Tour pro Clifford Pirch advised that there is no need to do anything but fish shallow. Good spawning banks have rock, boulder, and gravel bottom; and the bass will spawn at the bases of the brush and trees. The beds are hard to see through the brush. Fish a Senko or weightless worm in the bushes and tops of trees and pitch a worm to the bases of the bushes and trees to catch fish on the beds. Topwater poppers, like a Rico, and walking baits can draw fish.
Pro's Edge: Don't abandon shallow water. Even if the shallow bite is slow in the morning, the afternoon sun can warm the water and the fish will move.
***Someone might think, "I live in Massachusetts, what do I care what bass are doing in south Georgia?" Except for some climate/habitat differences, A BASS IS A BASS. Use what you learn from the guys who do this for a living and adapt it to your waters. Most things will work everywhere, although there may be a few regional techniques that might not translate exactly... but can be used with slight variations.
Example: The splitshot rig was developed in California by professional anglers fishing deep, rocky, gin-clear waters that receive tremendous amounts of fishing pressure - some lakes out there only allow fishing every other day, it's that crowded!
I was fishing at Lake Konowa in Oklahoma - an electrical powerplant lake that has a warm-water discharge 12 months out of the year. The discharge canal receives HUGE amounts of fishing pressure, especially in the winter. Now, this is the South(sorta) - big spinnerbaits and 10-inch plastic worms are the 'bread-n-butter' baits - but using the info I learned, I tied on a split-shot rig on 8-pound test spinning gear, with a 4-inch pumpkinseed finesse worm.
I caught a double-limit of bass(12 fish) in about 3 hours - in January!
Improvise - Adapt - Overcome
Last edited by tony93 on Sat May 01, 2010 6:38 am; edited 1 time in total
Bass Spawn Map 4-21 thru 4-27
Weekly Reports
21-27 April
Spring has arrived and warm weather punctuated by brief and minor cold fronts will be the rule rather than the exception. The spawn band has moved little from last week, but warm and stable weather coupled with increasing daylength should light up the bass, and the pre-spawn activity will rapidly advance northward. While some spawning activity will continue, anglers fishing in the southern half of southeastern Atlantic and Gulf coast states will do better focusing on post-spawn bass.
check here each week for updates on what the bass are doing, where they are, and what the pros are catching em on:
http://www.versus.com/blogs/bass-spawn-map/
**Here's what's going on right now!
Maryland and Northeastern Virginia: Potomac River
Robert Pierson reported the bass are spawning in marinas, and this spawning activity should peak this week. The enthusiastic FLW Tour pro from nearby Herndon, Virginia expects the spawn in the bays and pockets off the river to begin this week and be at full throttle with the full moon. Pierson advises anglers fishing the marinas to toss Senkos or a slowly sinking worm to any target that has 6 inches to 4 feet of water around it. For pre-spawn bass in the river pockets and bays, fish spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and wide-wobbling crankbaits around chunk rock. Slow roll those baits to let the bass kill them. Spots with wood on rock is golden.
Pro's Edge: To catch that important kicker fish, Pierson pitches a black-blue jig with a 3" crawfish trailer to every piece of cover he can find. Use stout line and hold on!
Eastern Tennessee: Fort Loudon
The FLW Tour event is at Fort Loudon and Tellico reservoirs this week. Tour veteran David Walker of nearby Sevierville, Tennessee shared his forecast for the week. The black bass spawn is on. Smallmouth bass are spawning, and many are post spawn. Spotted bass are in the middle of their spawn. The largemouth spawn is just starting. Bed fishing for spots and largemouth can be effective. Check out pockets and bays with the clearest water to see the deeper fish; the best pockets will be in still water at the backs of creeks and bays. Some largemouth and spots will also spawn along main channel banks; Walker advised targeting rocks, trees, and docks on 45 degree banks. Walker pitches lizards, tubes, and compact jigs with shortened trailers to trip the trigger of bedding bass. For transition fish, Walker looks where stretches of bluffs/large rock change to gradual banks with smaller rock. He advises anglers to quickly cover a lot of water with crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits to locate fish, then slow down and thoroughly fish the area with jigs and Texas-rigged or Carolina-rigged soft plastics.
Pro's Edge: When the fishing is tough, Walker fishes weightless soft plastics on banks and around docks. The weightless worms give fish something to look at and, at the same time, makes anglers slow down.
Southwestern Missouri: Table Rock Lake
FLW Tour newcomer Eric Olliverson reported that water temperature is just climbing into the 60s in the lower part of this Ozark Mountains lake. Olliverson prefers to fish in the clearer water in the main lake. He fishes Damiki Striker jerkbaits and single-tail grubs along chunk rock and gravel main-lake banks for smallies and spots and always selects windy banks over calm banks. Olliverson targets largemouths at the mouths of feeder creeks and pockets off the creeks with gravel and chunk rock bottom. Again, preference is always for the windy banks. Lacking wind, Olliverson backs off the bank and points. He holds his boat in 28-30 feet of water and casts a Damiki Miki finesse worm on a split-shot rig or shakey head toward points and gravel banks.
Pro's Edge: Table Rock is clear. When bites are hard to find, downsizing line is a common tactic. Olliverson takes it to an extreme-he uses fluorocarbon line as light as 4 pound test. To get good hook sets and control the fish on such a delicate set up, he tightens the drag but is always prepared to back reel to avoid breaking off a surging fish.
Northeastern Oklahoma: Grand Lake
FLW Tour pro Edwin Evers forecasts the bass to start spawning on Grand Lake this week. You won't be able to see fish on the beds. In the lower lake, Evers fishes a Carolina rig with a Yum Wooly Hawg Tail or a shakey head on pea gravel banks and in pockets of coves and the main lake. Concentrate your search in water 5 to 10 feet deep. In the upper lake, Evers casts and pitches a black/blue shadow Yum Wooly Bug to wood or anything that will hold a bass in 1 to 4 feet of water. Anywhere in the lake, fish the backside of the numerous docks.
Pro's Edge: Evers advises anglers to fish very slowly-visualize a fish on a bed and fish your bait to temp the rascal.
Central Arizona: Roosevelt Lake
This lake is full of bass and they're spawning big time right now. The water is up and there is lots of flooded brush. With so many fish and so much cover, FLW Tour pro Clifford Pirch advised that there is no need to do anything but fish shallow. Good spawning banks have rock, boulder, and gravel bottom; and the bass will spawn at the bases of the brush and trees. The beds are hard to see through the brush. Fish a Senko or weightless worm in the bushes and tops of trees and pitch a worm to the bases of the bushes and trees to catch fish on the beds. Topwater poppers, like a Rico, and walking baits can draw fish.
Pro's Edge: Don't abandon shallow water. Even if the shallow bite is slow in the morning, the afternoon sun can warm the water and the fish will move.
***Someone might think, "I live in Massachusetts, what do I care what bass are doing in south Georgia?" Except for some climate/habitat differences, A BASS IS A BASS. Use what you learn from the guys who do this for a living and adapt it to your waters. Most things will work everywhere, although there may be a few regional techniques that might not translate exactly... but can be used with slight variations.
Example: The splitshot rig was developed in California by professional anglers fishing deep, rocky, gin-clear waters that receive tremendous amounts of fishing pressure - some lakes out there only allow fishing every other day, it's that crowded!
I was fishing at Lake Konowa in Oklahoma - an electrical powerplant lake that has a warm-water discharge 12 months out of the year. The discharge canal receives HUGE amounts of fishing pressure, especially in the winter. Now, this is the South(sorta) - big spinnerbaits and 10-inch plastic worms are the 'bread-n-butter' baits - but using the info I learned, I tied on a split-shot rig on 8-pound test spinning gear, with a 4-inch pumpkinseed finesse worm.
I caught a double-limit of bass(12 fish) in about 3 hours - in January!
Improvise - Adapt - Overcome
Last edited by tony93 on Sat May 01, 2010 6:38 am; edited 1 time in total
no problem - fishing is getting ready to really heat up! 
[/quote]
After a dismal day yesterday it's going to be 60 today. Got to love New England. The good weather is coming. In the 70's the rest of the week. Can't wait for the spawning to start. Time to catch the pigs!
[/quote]
After a dismal day yesterday it's going to be 60 today. Got to love New England. The good weather is coming. In the 70's the rest of the week. Can't wait for the spawning to start. Time to catch the pigs!
Bass Spawn Map 4-28 thru 5-4
Weekly Reports
28 April - 4 May
http://www.versus.com/blogs/bass-spawn-map/
The spawn band has moved several hundred miles north. For southern anglers, the spawn is over and it's time to be thinking post-spawn. In some systems, the bass make a rapid transition to summer haunts; in other's the post-spawn bass will linger in the same areas where they staged pre-spawn.
Connecticut: Candlewood Lake
The water temperature is in the mid 50s, but Terry Baksay forecasts a fast warm-up driving smallmouth to the beds in a week, largemouth in two weeks. For both spawning and pre-spawning smallies and largemouth bass, the FLW Tour pro combs gravel and rock banks; areas with larger rock and boulders are more productive. Identifying the better banks is easy-"what you see on shore is what is under the water," Baksay explained. You can spot beds as light spots on the bottom on clear days and calm water; but fish are hard to spot, even under the best conditions. Baksay's presentation is as simple as his pattern: a watermelon/red Lunker City Ozmo Texas rigged with a one-quarter ounce weight on a 3/0 Diachi hook fished on a pitching rod spooled with 15-pound test Seaguar fluorocarbon. One rod, two bass species, loads of fun.
Pro's Edge: Baksay has found that black bass spawn in the exact same places year after year, and a spawning site used by a big fish generally will be used by a big fish in successive years. This is double-good news for diligent anglers that keep logs: a big fish spot is worth returning to, but by the same reasoning, seek other spots when you catch small fish.
Southeastern Indiana: Brookville Lake
The water temperature in Brookville Lake has risen rapidly in the last week, and FLW Tour angler Chris Martinkovic expects the largemouth bass spawn to light up on the full moon. Martinkovic advises anglers to fish pea gravel banks near deep water and check the backs of pockets of the main creeks for spawners. The Ohio pro uses a Berkeley Hollow Belly swimbait to search for bass. Those that reveal themselves but don't strike the swimbait usually fall for a finesse worm on a shakey head.
Pro's Edge: Although not a typical go-to bait during the pre-spawn and spawn, on a tough day, Martinkovic teases strikes by drop shotting a tiny finesse worm like a Zoom Meathead.
Central Indiana: Monroe Lake
Fellow Ohioan Dick Shaffer likes Monroe Lake for spawning bass, and told me the spawn has just started. The FLW Tour pro likes the upper end where the river comes in. Shaffer concentrates his efforts in 3 to 8 feet of water on the flats in front of the river and in the channel bends up the river. He advises anglers to look for wood and stay close to the creek channel. Crankbaits will draw strikes, but Shaffer is a dedicated jig fisherman and relies on a 3/8 or ½ ounce homemade jig with a Zoom Superchunk trailer.
Pro's Edge: Shaffer will cast a Senko if the bite is ultra tough, but he sticks with the jig if it draws any bites at all and keeps looking for grande bass.
Western Tennessee: Kentucky Lake
FLW Tour pro Kenneth (Boo) Woods likes to fish between Johnsonville and Paris, Tennessee on this 184-mile long Tennessee River impoundment. The bass are on the beds. Woods likes to fish topwaters, buzzbaits, and wakebaits in the backs of coves and over grass. Blow-ups signal a bass on the bed, and Woods immediately follows with a Senko or soft plastic swimbait, such as a Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper. If the bedding bass tactic doesn't produce, Woods tries secondary points and creek channel banks with pea gravel and chunk rock. Woods said anything the sinks to the bottom will get bit, but he opts for tubes and white craw worms.
Pro's Edge: Carolina rig a green pumpkin or watermelon/red flake 6 or 8 inch Zoom lizard at the front edge of flooded buck brush.
South Florida: Lake Okeechobee
FLW Tour pro Mike Surman from nearby Boca Raton enjoys great post-spawn fishing for huge bass in the Big O. The bluegill and shellcracker (redear sunfish) spawn right after the bass and in the same places. Bluegill and shellcracker are a primary food for Okeechobee bass, so the big post-spawn bass don't venture far from the bedding areas. Surman advises that bottom type is everything-look for hard sand with a little shell. The bass will hold in the clumps of cattails or bulrushes. Surman focuses on the edge of the clumps if light is low-early in the morning or on cloudy or windy days-but expects the bass to get in the clumps under bright-light conditions. Surman likes a Gambler Big Easy swimbait for big, sunfish-munching post-spawn Okeechobee bass.
Pro's Edge: When conditions get tough and on sunny days, Surman flips or pitches a Gambler Crawdaddy under a heavy weight into the thick cover. He likes the big profile bait when hunting big bass.
Weekly Reports
28 April - 4 May
http://www.versus.com/blogs/bass-spawn-map/
The spawn band has moved several hundred miles north. For southern anglers, the spawn is over and it's time to be thinking post-spawn. In some systems, the bass make a rapid transition to summer haunts; in other's the post-spawn bass will linger in the same areas where they staged pre-spawn.
Connecticut: Candlewood Lake
The water temperature is in the mid 50s, but Terry Baksay forecasts a fast warm-up driving smallmouth to the beds in a week, largemouth in two weeks. For both spawning and pre-spawning smallies and largemouth bass, the FLW Tour pro combs gravel and rock banks; areas with larger rock and boulders are more productive. Identifying the better banks is easy-"what you see on shore is what is under the water," Baksay explained. You can spot beds as light spots on the bottom on clear days and calm water; but fish are hard to spot, even under the best conditions. Baksay's presentation is as simple as his pattern: a watermelon/red Lunker City Ozmo Texas rigged with a one-quarter ounce weight on a 3/0 Diachi hook fished on a pitching rod spooled with 15-pound test Seaguar fluorocarbon. One rod, two bass species, loads of fun.
Pro's Edge: Baksay has found that black bass spawn in the exact same places year after year, and a spawning site used by a big fish generally will be used by a big fish in successive years. This is double-good news for diligent anglers that keep logs: a big fish spot is worth returning to, but by the same reasoning, seek other spots when you catch small fish.
Southeastern Indiana: Brookville Lake
The water temperature in Brookville Lake has risen rapidly in the last week, and FLW Tour angler Chris Martinkovic expects the largemouth bass spawn to light up on the full moon. Martinkovic advises anglers to fish pea gravel banks near deep water and check the backs of pockets of the main creeks for spawners. The Ohio pro uses a Berkeley Hollow Belly swimbait to search for bass. Those that reveal themselves but don't strike the swimbait usually fall for a finesse worm on a shakey head.
Pro's Edge: Although not a typical go-to bait during the pre-spawn and spawn, on a tough day, Martinkovic teases strikes by drop shotting a tiny finesse worm like a Zoom Meathead.
Central Indiana: Monroe Lake
Fellow Ohioan Dick Shaffer likes Monroe Lake for spawning bass, and told me the spawn has just started. The FLW Tour pro likes the upper end where the river comes in. Shaffer concentrates his efforts in 3 to 8 feet of water on the flats in front of the river and in the channel bends up the river. He advises anglers to look for wood and stay close to the creek channel. Crankbaits will draw strikes, but Shaffer is a dedicated jig fisherman and relies on a 3/8 or ½ ounce homemade jig with a Zoom Superchunk trailer.
Pro's Edge: Shaffer will cast a Senko if the bite is ultra tough, but he sticks with the jig if it draws any bites at all and keeps looking for grande bass.
Western Tennessee: Kentucky Lake
FLW Tour pro Kenneth (Boo) Woods likes to fish between Johnsonville and Paris, Tennessee on this 184-mile long Tennessee River impoundment. The bass are on the beds. Woods likes to fish topwaters, buzzbaits, and wakebaits in the backs of coves and over grass. Blow-ups signal a bass on the bed, and Woods immediately follows with a Senko or soft plastic swimbait, such as a Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper. If the bedding bass tactic doesn't produce, Woods tries secondary points and creek channel banks with pea gravel and chunk rock. Woods said anything the sinks to the bottom will get bit, but he opts for tubes and white craw worms.
Pro's Edge: Carolina rig a green pumpkin or watermelon/red flake 6 or 8 inch Zoom lizard at the front edge of flooded buck brush.
South Florida: Lake Okeechobee
FLW Tour pro Mike Surman from nearby Boca Raton enjoys great post-spawn fishing for huge bass in the Big O. The bluegill and shellcracker (redear sunfish) spawn right after the bass and in the same places. Bluegill and shellcracker are a primary food for Okeechobee bass, so the big post-spawn bass don't venture far from the bedding areas. Surman advises that bottom type is everything-look for hard sand with a little shell. The bass will hold in the clumps of cattails or bulrushes. Surman focuses on the edge of the clumps if light is low-early in the morning or on cloudy or windy days-but expects the bass to get in the clumps under bright-light conditions. Surman likes a Gambler Big Easy swimbait for big, sunfish-munching post-spawn Okeechobee bass.
Pro's Edge: When conditions get tough and on sunny days, Surman flips or pitches a Gambler Crawdaddy under a heavy weight into the thick cover. He likes the big profile bait when hunting big bass.
Bass Spawn 5-12 thru 5-18
The bass are spawning throughout the Midwest, the plains, and the upper west coast, and pre-spawn bass action is heating up in the upper tier of states. The shad spawn is happening on the heels of the bass spawn in states just below the bass spawn band. Summer patterns are beginning to prevail in Florida, the Deep South, and the southern halves of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Maryland: Upper Chesapeake Bay
All phases of the largemouth bass reproductive ritual-pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn are happening in the upper Chesapeake Bay, and Pete Gluszek expects the spawn to last through early June. Pre-spawn bass will be spread out on grass (milfoil) flats. Gluszek likes to throw smaller weightless baits, light finesse jigs, and light Texas-rigged plastics for the pre-spawners. The FLW Tour pro directs anglers looking for spawners to fish the inside edge of grass beds far away from the main current and backwater bays with low flow. Areas of sand and pea gravel are key. Gluszek advises anglers to think and fish shallow-if you're not blowing mud with the troller, you're fishing too deep. Years of experience have taught Gluszek that bass will spawn 1 foot below the low tide mark, and that coincides with the inside edge of the milfoil. The murky water makes sight fishing tough, so Gluszek blind casts Buckeye finesse jigs and Senkos. Chesapeake bass head for the grass after the spawn, and they're hungry. Gluszek relies on topwater frogs and spinnerbaits, ever vigilant for feeding activity;
Pro's Edge: When the bite weakens, Gluszek likes to show the bass a flat-sided, no-rattle finesse crankbaits like the Buckeye Lures Flatbait.
Florida Panhandle/Southern Georgia: Lake Seminole
The bass spawn is essentially over, and the bass have left the shallow bedding areas at this Appalachicola River impoundment. The good news, according to Michael Bennett, is the shad are spawning. The FLW Tour pro counsels anglers to check out marinas, boat docks, and grass (hydrilla) lines. If you see shad schools of fish flicking on the surface, you can bet bass are there. The shad spawn lasts about 2 hours every morning. Bennett fishes fast-moving reaction-type baits such as swimbaits, topwater plugs, wakebaits, spinnerbaits. Always be ready to cast to blow ups. The shad spawn should last another 1 to 2 weeks. Bennett advises anglers to spend the rest of the morning fishing topwater frogs or buzzbaits over grasslines and on points outside the spawning pockets. Bennett spends the afternoon checking offshore grass beds and the mouths of creeks 50 to 300 yards off shore; look for channels that are 5 to 10 feet deep with hydrilla on the edge. The afternoon menu includes Carolina rigged soft plastics, crankbaits, and chatterbaits. Need tackle? Check out the pro's company at BassTacklesupply.com
Pro's Edge: Post-spawn bass fishing generally is good , but fish tend to be concentrated and can be hard to find. If you want to catch bass at this time of the year you may have to earn them. Start on good looking places, put the trolling motor on "move out," and search for concentrations of bass.
Northern Alabama: Lake Guntersville
This Tennessee River lunker factory was hot during this year's bass spawn, and the post-spawn bite promises to be just as good. As in Seminole, the shad spawn is on in Guntersville; and the shad provide easy, high-protein meals for hungry post-spawn bass. Shad spawn in a variety of places in Guntersville, but FLW Tour pro Mike Wurm likes to target humps with hard, clean bottom. Post-spawn bass like to hole up in the thickest cover they can find, and in Guntersville that means milfoil and hydrilla. "If you find a good shad-spawn hump with a good inside grass line-an area where the clear, hard bottom area is surrounded by grass-keep it to yourself," advises Wurm. The shad spawn at night, then linger in the spawning area; so the shad-spawn bite only lasts a couple hours in the morning. Wurm mimics the shad with topwaters, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, and lipless crankbaits. Later in the day, Wurm fishes the same area but slows down and fishes a 10-inch worm or football jig with a Net Bait Paca Craw, Zoom Super Chunk, or Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver in holes in the grass,
Pro's Edge: Wurm relies heavily on jigs to put bass in the boat and money in the bank. He advises anglers to experiment with jig trailers to find what the bass want; don't hesitate to use a creature or lizard as a trailer.
Northern Illinois: Fox Chain of Lakes
The spawn is just starting in this sequence of lakes connected by the Fox River. FLW Tour pro Mark Fisher said the bass spawn in the channels that connect the lakes, but some bass spawn in the lakes. Beds are easily spotted in the channels. Fisher pitches a pink tube to bedding bass. If the bass doesn't react, he fishes a drop shot in the bed or swims a small, pre-rigged worm through the bed. He fishes the pre-rigged worm weightless with a swivel. The name of the game with the pre-rigged worm is to try to touch the bass to elicit a reaction strike. The shallow, visible beds usually draw a crowd of anglers. To escape the crowd, Fisher turns to the main-lake spawners, but this is challenging bed fishing. The fish can spawn up to 10 feet deep and the beds are barely visible as light spots on the bottom. Don't expect to see the bass. He scans the no-wake areas. For the main-lake spawners, Fisher rotates through his triumvirate of tube, drop shot, and pre-rigged worm; he adds a small weight ahead of the pre-rigged worm to get it down to the deep bed. Pre-spawn bass can be caught on crawfish-color lipless crankbaits in weedy areas 6- to 8-feet deep. Weedbeds located where bass are funneling into channels tend to be more productive.
Pro's Edge: Fisher likes a slow and downsized approach for pre-spawn Yankee largemouth. He fishes a black/blue Bitsy Bug jig with a Baby Paca Craw and small Zoon Chunk on weed edges or on shorelines leading to spawning channels.
Western Nevada: Lake Mead
Some largemouth are spawning but many are still pre-spawn in this sprawling Colorado River impoundment according to Jason Cordiale. The FLW Tour pro fishes spinnerbaits, drop-shots, and jig- trailer combinations on main lake points and secondary points outside of spawning pockets. The better spawning pockets are long, flat coves with shallow water in the back; water in the front of the cove may be 15 to 60 feet deep.
Pro's Edge: Be patient and persistent--the fish will bite. If you are looking for a big fish, throw a big swim bait like an Optimum BLT.
**************************
a Senko, either Texas or wacky rigged, or weightless lizards thrown into skinny water is a good bet RIGHT NOW! The males are guarding nests and you just might hook into the fat female too...
The bass are spawning throughout the Midwest, the plains, and the upper west coast, and pre-spawn bass action is heating up in the upper tier of states. The shad spawn is happening on the heels of the bass spawn in states just below the bass spawn band. Summer patterns are beginning to prevail in Florida, the Deep South, and the southern halves of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Maryland: Upper Chesapeake Bay
All phases of the largemouth bass reproductive ritual-pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn are happening in the upper Chesapeake Bay, and Pete Gluszek expects the spawn to last through early June. Pre-spawn bass will be spread out on grass (milfoil) flats. Gluszek likes to throw smaller weightless baits, light finesse jigs, and light Texas-rigged plastics for the pre-spawners. The FLW Tour pro directs anglers looking for spawners to fish the inside edge of grass beds far away from the main current and backwater bays with low flow. Areas of sand and pea gravel are key. Gluszek advises anglers to think and fish shallow-if you're not blowing mud with the troller, you're fishing too deep. Years of experience have taught Gluszek that bass will spawn 1 foot below the low tide mark, and that coincides with the inside edge of the milfoil. The murky water makes sight fishing tough, so Gluszek blind casts Buckeye finesse jigs and Senkos. Chesapeake bass head for the grass after the spawn, and they're hungry. Gluszek relies on topwater frogs and spinnerbaits, ever vigilant for feeding activity;
Pro's Edge: When the bite weakens, Gluszek likes to show the bass a flat-sided, no-rattle finesse crankbaits like the Buckeye Lures Flatbait.
Florida Panhandle/Southern Georgia: Lake Seminole
The bass spawn is essentially over, and the bass have left the shallow bedding areas at this Appalachicola River impoundment. The good news, according to Michael Bennett, is the shad are spawning. The FLW Tour pro counsels anglers to check out marinas, boat docks, and grass (hydrilla) lines. If you see shad schools of fish flicking on the surface, you can bet bass are there. The shad spawn lasts about 2 hours every morning. Bennett fishes fast-moving reaction-type baits such as swimbaits, topwater plugs, wakebaits, spinnerbaits. Always be ready to cast to blow ups. The shad spawn should last another 1 to 2 weeks. Bennett advises anglers to spend the rest of the morning fishing topwater frogs or buzzbaits over grasslines and on points outside the spawning pockets. Bennett spends the afternoon checking offshore grass beds and the mouths of creeks 50 to 300 yards off shore; look for channels that are 5 to 10 feet deep with hydrilla on the edge. The afternoon menu includes Carolina rigged soft plastics, crankbaits, and chatterbaits. Need tackle? Check out the pro's company at BassTacklesupply.com
Pro's Edge: Post-spawn bass fishing generally is good , but fish tend to be concentrated and can be hard to find. If you want to catch bass at this time of the year you may have to earn them. Start on good looking places, put the trolling motor on "move out," and search for concentrations of bass.
Northern Alabama: Lake Guntersville
This Tennessee River lunker factory was hot during this year's bass spawn, and the post-spawn bite promises to be just as good. As in Seminole, the shad spawn is on in Guntersville; and the shad provide easy, high-protein meals for hungry post-spawn bass. Shad spawn in a variety of places in Guntersville, but FLW Tour pro Mike Wurm likes to target humps with hard, clean bottom. Post-spawn bass like to hole up in the thickest cover they can find, and in Guntersville that means milfoil and hydrilla. "If you find a good shad-spawn hump with a good inside grass line-an area where the clear, hard bottom area is surrounded by grass-keep it to yourself," advises Wurm. The shad spawn at night, then linger in the spawning area; so the shad-spawn bite only lasts a couple hours in the morning. Wurm mimics the shad with topwaters, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, and lipless crankbaits. Later in the day, Wurm fishes the same area but slows down and fishes a 10-inch worm or football jig with a Net Bait Paca Craw, Zoom Super Chunk, or Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver in holes in the grass,
Pro's Edge: Wurm relies heavily on jigs to put bass in the boat and money in the bank. He advises anglers to experiment with jig trailers to find what the bass want; don't hesitate to use a creature or lizard as a trailer.
Northern Illinois: Fox Chain of Lakes
The spawn is just starting in this sequence of lakes connected by the Fox River. FLW Tour pro Mark Fisher said the bass spawn in the channels that connect the lakes, but some bass spawn in the lakes. Beds are easily spotted in the channels. Fisher pitches a pink tube to bedding bass. If the bass doesn't react, he fishes a drop shot in the bed or swims a small, pre-rigged worm through the bed. He fishes the pre-rigged worm weightless with a swivel. The name of the game with the pre-rigged worm is to try to touch the bass to elicit a reaction strike. The shallow, visible beds usually draw a crowd of anglers. To escape the crowd, Fisher turns to the main-lake spawners, but this is challenging bed fishing. The fish can spawn up to 10 feet deep and the beds are barely visible as light spots on the bottom. Don't expect to see the bass. He scans the no-wake areas. For the main-lake spawners, Fisher rotates through his triumvirate of tube, drop shot, and pre-rigged worm; he adds a small weight ahead of the pre-rigged worm to get it down to the deep bed. Pre-spawn bass can be caught on crawfish-color lipless crankbaits in weedy areas 6- to 8-feet deep. Weedbeds located where bass are funneling into channels tend to be more productive.
Pro's Edge: Fisher likes a slow and downsized approach for pre-spawn Yankee largemouth. He fishes a black/blue Bitsy Bug jig with a Baby Paca Craw and small Zoon Chunk on weed edges or on shorelines leading to spawning channels.
Western Nevada: Lake Mead
Some largemouth are spawning but many are still pre-spawn in this sprawling Colorado River impoundment according to Jason Cordiale. The FLW Tour pro fishes spinnerbaits, drop-shots, and jig- trailer combinations on main lake points and secondary points outside of spawning pockets. The better spawning pockets are long, flat coves with shallow water in the back; water in the front of the cove may be 15 to 60 feet deep.
Pro's Edge: Be patient and persistent--the fish will bite. If you are looking for a big fish, throw a big swim bait like an Optimum BLT.
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a Senko, either Texas or wacky rigged, or weightless lizards thrown into skinny water is a good bet RIGHT NOW! The males are guarding nests and you just might hook into the fat female too...
19-25 May
The water continues to warm in the Midwest and western U.S., but the northeast has been hit hard by water-chilling cold weather. The 2010 bass spawn is history in the southern tier of states, and it's time to switch to summer patterns.
Central New York: Oneida Lake
Although the water had warmed to 61 degrees, a polar blast sent Oneida Lake back into the 50s, and the largemouth bass are pre-spawn. U.S. Anglers' Choice 2009 Angler of the Year Mike Cusano searches for the pre-spawn bass along the first significant depth change outside spawning bays. Points leading into the spawning bays with weedbeds (coontail and milfoil) warrant extra attention. Cusano works this zone first with horizontal presentations-lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits. A 5-inch floating Rapala pulled gently on the surface with long pauses can be dynamite. If a horizontal approach doesn't work, Cusano goes vertical with a jig and pig, shakey head, or Texas-rigged soft plastics. The New York B.A.S.S. Federation president said there are so many largemouth in Oneida that bass are everywhere; stay on the move to find concentrations of better fish. Cusano expects the spawn to be in full swing in a couple weeks. Start in the back of bays and work out. Good spawning bays have hard bottom; it could be clay, but look for shell and rock on sand in 3 to 5 feet of water. If all you find in the bedding area are small fish, look for the big girls on the inside edge of the weed line behind you. Fish the same horizontal and vertical presentations used for pre-spawners.
Pro's Edge: When the fishing is tough or to stick a big girl, Cusano fishes a weightless, green pumpkin Zoom Centipede. He Texas rigs the Centipede on a 1/0 hook and uses a spinning rod to make the longest cast possible to the inside edge of the weeds. To maintain the stealth approach, Cusano stays off the trolling motor as much as possible.
Northwest Pennsylvania: Edinboro Lake
Dave Lefebre was fishing Edinboro in a cold rain when I talked to him. The main lake temperature is in the high 50s. A few bass have started the spawning ritual, but most are per-spawn. The FLW Tour pro suggests fishing the canals and backwater ponds in the marshy half of the lake. The bass stage in the deeper canals and move onto the flats and backwater ponds to spawn. Look for the dead-end canals-those not connected to the creek-to find warmer water. Lefebre likes to pitch a 5/16 ounce black Tabu Open Water jigs dressed with No. 11 Uncle Josh pork frogs to bushes, but bass can also be caught on black buzzbaits, black floating frogs, spinnerbaits, and wide-wobbling crankbaits around the bushes and in areas of pads and submersed weeds.
Pro's Edge: For better catches and, often bigger fish, be able to pitch or skip a bait to sweet spots in bushes and openings in the grass. Spotting the sweet spots comes with experience, but pinpoint precision and a silent entry is essential to close the deal.
Southeastern Michigan: Lake St. Clair
This 430 square mile lake between Lakes Huron and Erie has gained quite a reputation as a smallmouth destination, but the lake provides great largemouth action, too. Joe Balog reports that lake temperature is in the mid 50s, but a few largemouth have started to spawn in the warmer backwaters. The FLW and Bassmaster Open pro targets objects-like pilings or docks-and small points in canals in 4 to 5 feet of water. In the main lake, largemouth can be caught at the mouths of canals, off docks and pilings, and off humps adjacent to seawalls or rock rip rap. Balog relies on a gold Daiwa Vibration lipless crankbait to cover water and pitches 5/16 ounce Tabu Open Water jigs in green pumpkin and bluegill colors to hard objects. When the bass begin to spawn, Balog pitches and blind casts soft plastics, such as Reaction Innovations Sweet Beavers and creature baits, to likely bedding spots around pilings and seawall corners.
Pro's Edge: Jigs are great for pre-spawn bass, but when you get hits but no hook-ups, the bass are starting to guard nests and it is time to switch to soft plastic lures. Balog likes to pitch big creature baits or large Sweet Beavers to these bass with his flipping stick.
Eastern Minnesota-Western Wiscconsin: Mississippi River Pools 4 & 5
Director of Field Promotions for Rapala USA Mark Fisher reported that the water temperature is in the mid-to-high 50s and pre-spawn largemouth are staging. Fisher expects big spawning pushes on the new and full moon. The veteran tournament angler looks for largemouth staging out of the current on wood, in reduced-current side channels, and points or anything that breaks the current. Fisher follows a simple rule of thumb in rivers: as fish move from winter to the spawn, they move from current to slow current and finally to no current. Fisher covers water and finds fish by cranking swim jigs and small spinnerbaits and twitching a floating Rapala, then slows down and casts to obvious targets with a Rapala Trigger X tube on a tube jig or a Trigger X Flappin' Craw on a ball-head jig. Always be on the lookout for visible fish to tip off concentrations of bass, and always cast to obvious targets. Fisher always checks the ends of logs closely.
Pro's Edge: A sharp hook is essential to converting bites to hook-ups, especially when fishing with lighter tackle. The points of light-wire hooks are easily bent and dulled when fishing around hard objects. Check your hooks often, and sharpen or retie any hook less than surgically sharp.
Western Oregon and Washington: Columbia River
The largemouth bass are pre-spawn in the tidal Columbia River up to Bonneville Dam. FLW Tour pro Jay Yelas expects the largemouth spawn to begin in June. Yelas looks for pre-spawners out of the main flow in creeks, sloughs, backwater channels and bays, and marinas, and concentrates his casts on rock (mostly rip rap) and wood. Cunningham Slough, Cole Creek, and Scappoose Bay Marina are perennially productive. Although a seemingly unlikely pattern, fishing the edge of log rafts can also be productive. Effective lure choices include tandem gold- or copper-bladed spinnerbaits (white/chart) slow rolled around wood and pilings, small, bright-colored crankbaits like Frenzy Rattlers and Luhr Jensen Speed Traps worked around rocks, and Jay Yelas Berkley Flippin' Jig dressed with a 4 inch Chigger Craw trailer in black/blue pitched to likely targets. In early June as the bass transition into the spawn, Yelas fishes the same off-channel areas and blind casts or pitches 6 inch black/chartreuse Berkley Power Lizard or black neon Flippin' Tube to any logs he can find.
Pro's Edge: Yelas' strategy for tidal water bass: flip during falling and low tide, fish spinnerbaits on rising and high tide.
The water continues to warm in the Midwest and western U.S., but the northeast has been hit hard by water-chilling cold weather. The 2010 bass spawn is history in the southern tier of states, and it's time to switch to summer patterns.
Central New York: Oneida Lake
Although the water had warmed to 61 degrees, a polar blast sent Oneida Lake back into the 50s, and the largemouth bass are pre-spawn. U.S. Anglers' Choice 2009 Angler of the Year Mike Cusano searches for the pre-spawn bass along the first significant depth change outside spawning bays. Points leading into the spawning bays with weedbeds (coontail and milfoil) warrant extra attention. Cusano works this zone first with horizontal presentations-lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits. A 5-inch floating Rapala pulled gently on the surface with long pauses can be dynamite. If a horizontal approach doesn't work, Cusano goes vertical with a jig and pig, shakey head, or Texas-rigged soft plastics. The New York B.A.S.S. Federation president said there are so many largemouth in Oneida that bass are everywhere; stay on the move to find concentrations of better fish. Cusano expects the spawn to be in full swing in a couple weeks. Start in the back of bays and work out. Good spawning bays have hard bottom; it could be clay, but look for shell and rock on sand in 3 to 5 feet of water. If all you find in the bedding area are small fish, look for the big girls on the inside edge of the weed line behind you. Fish the same horizontal and vertical presentations used for pre-spawners.
Pro's Edge: When the fishing is tough or to stick a big girl, Cusano fishes a weightless, green pumpkin Zoom Centipede. He Texas rigs the Centipede on a 1/0 hook and uses a spinning rod to make the longest cast possible to the inside edge of the weeds. To maintain the stealth approach, Cusano stays off the trolling motor as much as possible.
Northwest Pennsylvania: Edinboro Lake
Dave Lefebre was fishing Edinboro in a cold rain when I talked to him. The main lake temperature is in the high 50s. A few bass have started the spawning ritual, but most are per-spawn. The FLW Tour pro suggests fishing the canals and backwater ponds in the marshy half of the lake. The bass stage in the deeper canals and move onto the flats and backwater ponds to spawn. Look for the dead-end canals-those not connected to the creek-to find warmer water. Lefebre likes to pitch a 5/16 ounce black Tabu Open Water jigs dressed with No. 11 Uncle Josh pork frogs to bushes, but bass can also be caught on black buzzbaits, black floating frogs, spinnerbaits, and wide-wobbling crankbaits around the bushes and in areas of pads and submersed weeds.
Pro's Edge: For better catches and, often bigger fish, be able to pitch or skip a bait to sweet spots in bushes and openings in the grass. Spotting the sweet spots comes with experience, but pinpoint precision and a silent entry is essential to close the deal.
Southeastern Michigan: Lake St. Clair
This 430 square mile lake between Lakes Huron and Erie has gained quite a reputation as a smallmouth destination, but the lake provides great largemouth action, too. Joe Balog reports that lake temperature is in the mid 50s, but a few largemouth have started to spawn in the warmer backwaters. The FLW and Bassmaster Open pro targets objects-like pilings or docks-and small points in canals in 4 to 5 feet of water. In the main lake, largemouth can be caught at the mouths of canals, off docks and pilings, and off humps adjacent to seawalls or rock rip rap. Balog relies on a gold Daiwa Vibration lipless crankbait to cover water and pitches 5/16 ounce Tabu Open Water jigs in green pumpkin and bluegill colors to hard objects. When the bass begin to spawn, Balog pitches and blind casts soft plastics, such as Reaction Innovations Sweet Beavers and creature baits, to likely bedding spots around pilings and seawall corners.
Pro's Edge: Jigs are great for pre-spawn bass, but when you get hits but no hook-ups, the bass are starting to guard nests and it is time to switch to soft plastic lures. Balog likes to pitch big creature baits or large Sweet Beavers to these bass with his flipping stick.
Eastern Minnesota-Western Wiscconsin: Mississippi River Pools 4 & 5
Director of Field Promotions for Rapala USA Mark Fisher reported that the water temperature is in the mid-to-high 50s and pre-spawn largemouth are staging. Fisher expects big spawning pushes on the new and full moon. The veteran tournament angler looks for largemouth staging out of the current on wood, in reduced-current side channels, and points or anything that breaks the current. Fisher follows a simple rule of thumb in rivers: as fish move from winter to the spawn, they move from current to slow current and finally to no current. Fisher covers water and finds fish by cranking swim jigs and small spinnerbaits and twitching a floating Rapala, then slows down and casts to obvious targets with a Rapala Trigger X tube on a tube jig or a Trigger X Flappin' Craw on a ball-head jig. Always be on the lookout for visible fish to tip off concentrations of bass, and always cast to obvious targets. Fisher always checks the ends of logs closely.
Pro's Edge: A sharp hook is essential to converting bites to hook-ups, especially when fishing with lighter tackle. The points of light-wire hooks are easily bent and dulled when fishing around hard objects. Check your hooks often, and sharpen or retie any hook less than surgically sharp.
Western Oregon and Washington: Columbia River
The largemouth bass are pre-spawn in the tidal Columbia River up to Bonneville Dam. FLW Tour pro Jay Yelas expects the largemouth spawn to begin in June. Yelas looks for pre-spawners out of the main flow in creeks, sloughs, backwater channels and bays, and marinas, and concentrates his casts on rock (mostly rip rap) and wood. Cunningham Slough, Cole Creek, and Scappoose Bay Marina are perennially productive. Although a seemingly unlikely pattern, fishing the edge of log rafts can also be productive. Effective lure choices include tandem gold- or copper-bladed spinnerbaits (white/chart) slow rolled around wood and pilings, small, bright-colored crankbaits like Frenzy Rattlers and Luhr Jensen Speed Traps worked around rocks, and Jay Yelas Berkley Flippin' Jig dressed with a 4 inch Chigger Craw trailer in black/blue pitched to likely targets. In early June as the bass transition into the spawn, Yelas fishes the same off-channel areas and blind casts or pitches 6 inch black/chartreuse Berkley Power Lizard or black neon Flippin' Tube to any logs he can find.
Pro's Edge: Yelas' strategy for tidal water bass: flip during falling and low tide, fish spinnerbaits on rising and high tide.
I think the majority of largemouth bass are done spawning - of course, there's some left somewhere, but I think it's mostly finished... the other day I could see literally dozens of bluegill spawning beds(I live in Middleboro) - like dinnerplates cleared away on the bottom in the shallows.
Bass spawn first - and the bluegills like to eat the bass eggs/fry - then bluegills spawn - and the bass like to eat the bluegills! hehehe
For the most part, I think the bass are still recuperating, so I'd go abit deeper near spawning sites to find some action.
'Deep' is relative, of course... if that spawning cove is 3 feet deep, then the 6 foot deep mouth of that cove might be a better bet.
That being said, there are always some fish hold up in shallow cover - the weed mats are starting to form, so get out those topwater frogs(yes!!! one of my all-time favorite ways to fish) for morning/evening action, and flip worms & jigs into those pockets during the hot sunny part of the day.
I had 2 Stanley Ribbit frogs stolen from me in the weeds 2 days ago - and I was using 30lb Spiderwire braid! ...damn razor-toothed pickerel...
Bass spawn first - and the bluegills like to eat the bass eggs/fry - then bluegills spawn - and the bass like to eat the bluegills! hehehe
For the most part, I think the bass are still recuperating, so I'd go abit deeper near spawning sites to find some action.
'Deep' is relative, of course... if that spawning cove is 3 feet deep, then the 6 foot deep mouth of that cove might be a better bet.
That being said, there are always some fish hold up in shallow cover - the weed mats are starting to form, so get out those topwater frogs(yes!!! one of my all-time favorite ways to fish) for morning/evening action, and flip worms & jigs into those pockets during the hot sunny part of the day.
I had 2 Stanley Ribbit frogs stolen from me in the weeds 2 days ago - and I was using 30lb Spiderwire braid! ...damn razor-toothed pickerel...