Fishing Tips and Techniques

Spring bass fishing, let’s talk about it for the Northeast and then we will cover the south.

Bass fishing the Northeast!

Spring bass fishing is the time of year that every Bass fisherman who is worth his salt looks forward to. The thought of Bass that haven’t seen a lure for at least 3 months is enough to stir any of us into a frenzy.

Spring has it’s advantages but it can have its own unique problems as well. Rising water temperatures can send Bass into flurries of activity that are a Bass fisherman’s dream come true. But, just as quickly, a stubborn early spring cold front can be a nightmare that puts the fish back into hibernation mode.

Can you feel it in the air? The bass can. Springtime ushers in changing air temperature, longer days and stronger sun angles, all of which trigger a fish’s instincts to move out of deep winter holes to search for food and the all-important spawning beds. Even right here in the Northeast, many of the biggest bass will be caught between mid-March and May.

Typically, the areas that you will want to target will be in the 8- to 12-foot range. This will vary slightly on the overall depth of the lake, but generally speaking, this is a very realistic depth to find fish working toward their spawning grounds. In this instance try a small suspending crankbait. A bait that suspends in the strike zone and can remain very still is key this time of year and will entice even the most finicky fish.

Bass are most definitely creatures of habit. Their instincts—to hunt, take cover, and spawn— are primarily dictated by the temperature of the water in which they live. When the water is warm, between 55- and 65-degrees Fahrenheit, largemouth bass begin to spawn. Bass start to feed massively during pre-spawn, which generally occurs when the water is between 48 and 55 degrees.

Some anglers maintain that the moon cycle is almost as important as water temperature when you’re going after some giant bass pre-spawn. The new moon and full moon are times when bass are very active.

Spring bass fishing the South!

Some anglers live in warmer zones and may have been angling for bass for months already. Others have been patiently waiting for the lakes and rivers to thaw and the warm fronts start moving in.

Bass prefer to make nests in shallow water at the base of lilly pads near (relatively speaking) deeper water. Sand or hard clay may be used when bass do not have access to lilly pad bases. Male bass often build nests near structures such as submerged wood or weed beds. Bass stay near these quality spawning sites throughout the spring.

Larger bass are generally caught early in the fishing season. For smaller waters, anglers often catch the largest bass in late February and March. Fishing in the south anglers catch more large bass in March and April.

After the spawn the females can be found in deeper waters near the nest sites. They will suspend in deeper water as the males stay shallow to keep protecting their fry. The spawn is extremely stressful for bass and they need to feed like crazy to recover. That is why the pre-spawn, spawn, and post spawn are such an amazing time to go bass fishing.

Pay Attention and Catch More Fish

Pay attention to these details. You’ll increase your catch and unlock the secrets to early spring fishing.

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“One thing to remember is that the real reason why we all enjoy fishing so much is the fun and camaraderie we experience with our friends and family. Some of the best fishing stories have nothing to do with how many fish we caught or what bait or technique we used. They are about the people we were with when we created those memories”.

You’ve made it through the winter although there were times when you doubted you would. March Madness for bass, has you forgetting about all the cold weather and subsequent falloff in your fishing activity.

March in the southern U.S. is different from March Madness for bass in the northern U. S. And, of course, it’s different all the way in between, as well as different in every other early-season month.

So it’s hard to say what’s good for one person is also good for another. Especially when you consider that spring bass fishing takes place in many varied types of water.

Nonetheless, there are some things about where to fish that hold true for everyone. So here are eight March Madness for bass fishing tips.

Eight March Madness for bass fishing tips

1. Be a temperature watcher. Some areas of a lake or pond warm up quicker than others. When you notice a difference of a few degrees in a particular spot. Remember it may be the thing that attracts bass there to warm up and to feed.
2. Fish late in the day in early spring when the main part of a lake or pond is still cold. Surface water warms up several degrees on a sunny day. Maybe more so in the back reaches where there’s a bay, inlet, marsh, or wetland.
3. If you have options where to fish for bass, try shallow lakes and ponds first as the season progresses. They warm up quickly with warm and stable weather, more so than deeper bodies of water.
4. If you have several rods to employ, always keep one rod rigged with a swimbait. There’s probably no lure type that is more universally successful in early to mid spring than a swimbait.
5. Crankbaits are also staples for spring bass fishing. Try a super-shallow running version in extreme shallows. A slightly deeper running version in 3 to 6 feet of water.
6. Crayfish populations in lakes warrant the use of crankbaits and jigs. Work them along rocky areas, including rip rap banks. If you can, fish parallel along the shoreline rather than perpendicular to it.
7. With swimbaits and crankbaits, a sign that you’re fishing too fast is getting “bumped.” This is what happens when a bass nips half-heartedly at a lure.
8. A lot of spring bass fishing involves searching and covering a good deal of water. That is not what a jig does best, yet jigs catch a lot of spring bass (and other species). First try small-profile jigs that can be worked either along the bottom or up in the water column. Then larger-bodied jigs along the bottom and around cover, such as bushes and stumps.

Six Additional Tips you can use during March.

Pairing the best early season bass lures with the best fishing techniques can hook a bass. But in the fickle March Madness for bass fishing season, a little extra help can never hurt. Here are a few more early spring bass fishing tips to set you up for success this season:

• Cast for repeat results: One of the best tips for early spring bass fishing success is to pay close attention to what works for you and what does not. Because bass behavior will change frequently with the fluctuating weather and temperature in spring, each day on the water may call for a different approach. Once you find a technique that wins you a bite, repeat the same cast and retrieve to catch a few more.
• Fish out the area: Bass will often congregate in the same areas in spring — meaning if you catch one, you may catch a dozen more in the same spot. After your first catch, continue to cast along the same ridge or point. If you do not get a second bite, try fishing the same area from different angles before moving to a new spot.
• Pay attention to water conditions: Fickle spring weather can make it challenging to locate bass, but by paying attention to the water conditions, you can find bass more quickly on each subsequent spring fishing trip. Once you find an area where bass are congregating, take a mental note of the water color, depth, temperature and bottom conditions. Consider the location of the ridge or point relative to channels and flats. These details will help you track down bass more quickly next time.
• Use the wind to your advantage: On spring days when the water is clear, bass may see your bait too clearly and be wary of biting. Wind can help to disturb the surface of the water to attract bass better. If you are not getting any bites on a clear lake, try casting when the wind picks up.
• Fish the mudlines: If you are having trouble locating bass on a spring day, look for mudlines created by wind and waves. Bass will often hide along the edges of mudlines where they have the advantage over baitfish which are drawn there to feed on plankton.

Following ice-out, look for protected shallow coves or bays with dark bottoms, as these spots will be the first to warm up. If these areas contain rocks you’re in good shape, because in these areas insect activity will begin earlier, which will attract baitfish, which in turn, will attract the bass.

Find Early prespawn bass fishing gives anglers an excellent opportunity to catch monster bass. As the bass emerge from their deeper wintertime haunts in preparation for the spawn. They are notoriously indiscriminate when it comes to their feeding behavior. The result is simply giant bass and lots of them.

While some folks like to start deep and work their way shallow, I am actually the polar opposite. I always target the backs of creeks and short pockets before I do anything else.

More importantly, however, I believe shallow water plays host to more bass than you might think.

It doesn’t matter where you go there are always going to be bass in shallow water. Will they be the ones to win a tournament? That really depends on the fishery, but shallow areas give me a complete overview of the water temperature which is a huge deal in the early prespawn.

Find Early Prespawn Bass with these important factors.

Every bass angler is guilty of it. After months of ridiculously frigid water temperatures, we become glued to our electronics, searching for the warmest water possible. This obsessive behavior isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but make sure to keep an open mind towards other important factors as well.

In my opinion, I think 50 degrees is the magic number for early prespawn movement. At that point, they are ready to move and make something happen. But there’s something much more important than water temperature. Their clock heavily correlates with the length of days and it’s an easy thing to overlook. You can have a brutal cold front come in and they will still be steadily moving up if the days are getting longer.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the various factors that influence the behavior of early prespawn bass, you’re ready to start catching. These are my hard to beat five areas.

• Primary points
• Funnels
• Secondary points
• Main lake flats
• Backwater ponds

Late Fall Bass Fishing during the transitional seasons of the year can sometimes seem challenging. With a few key late fall fishing tips, you can bump up your cool weather catch rates while using artificial baits and lures.

Late Fall Bass Fishing can be some fantastic bass catching action. The bass are feeding for the long winter. Shad and bait fish are slow and or dying making it easy for bass to feed. A passing front can trigger some of the best bass fishing action of the year. And a final bonus, there will not be many anglers on the water. Most are hunting, opening up the lake to anywhere you might want to try your hand at catching a bass of a lifetime.

Consider these Late Fall Bass Fishing pointers when heading out to your local spots:

• Use search baits to cover more water. One of the most important fall fishing tips is to cover plenty of water versus spending too much time in one spot. Use search baits, like a crankbait, Binsky blade bait, swimbait or topwater, to quickly locate schools of bass that are chasing shad to fatten up for winter.
• Fish the flats. Bass generally head into shallow water during the fall months. Check flats that are adjacent to grass beds, and try fishing in 3 to 6 feet of water with a few good fall fishing lures.
• Note significant drops in water temperature. Another one of the best fall fishing tips is to consider the impact that a cold front will have on the activity level of bass during this time of year. As we transition into late fall fishing and see more significant drops in temperature. Shad will keep moving shallow and so will the big bass.

To sum up, these late fall fishing tips for big bass mean covering more water. You will be fishing shallow flats near grass, downsizing after a temperature drop. Switch your lures if you’re not seeing enough action.

Now you can plan a day of fall fishing with your family,

Get ready for some late season fun on the water with Florida Bass Fishing Guide Lee Bailey Jr!