Page 39 - Lady Bass Digital Magazine May 2023 Revised
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wearing must be able to protect you. Layering your color choices for the spring include chartreuse and
clothing is important. You can always take a layer or shad colors. The jerkbait is still fished slow, but not
so off, but if you are cold to the bone seldom do we painfully slow. Mixing the retrieves up regardless of
pack extra clothes in the boat to wear. If you are as the type of bait will get an angler more bites. Often it
comfortable as you can possibly be, then it allows you is a timing thing in the spring.
to actually focus on fishing. Using your electronics to
find bait balls will help you key in on where the fish It is important to remember that most of our lakes
are when the water temps are cold. Fishing with tight are so big that there can be fish in multiple phases
wobbling crankbaits is a great wintertime option! of pre-spawn, spawn, and post spawn all going on at
Another super option is to use jerk-baits where you the same time. So, let’s say the spawn is done up lake.
crank them to depth and just wait as long as possible It could be full on in the middle of the lake and still
before you move your bait. The fish will tell you what prespawn up closer to the dam. Keeping these things
cadence to use once you get a bit or two. Knowing in mind, you can better position yourself to have a
where the fish are set up, knowing the right baits for successful day on the water by targeting the fish the
the conditions, and then presenting that bait in the way you want to target them.
right manner is rewarding.
Once fish do move up to spawn, they become very
territorial in a certain area and a certain spot with
a certain technique where you can target fish. Once
a bed is made by a bass, the eggs are fertilized and
the fry hatch, another mating pair of bass will come
along and use that same bed. This tends to repeat
itself throughout that spawning window. It is common
for anglers to use bright colors for bed fishing with
pegged weights.
There are factors that can help you better determine
where the fish will be setting up. Pay attention to the
sun. Which part of the water or waters are going to
warm first? These all play a role in locating the fish.
Once you get this figured out and you can dial in, fish-
ing becomes a lot more fun.
We know that prespawn is approaching when the
weather begins to transition from winter to spring, Now that the waters are warming, fish will begin to
the bass are on the move and beginning the trip up transition into that posts spawn window. Fish will
toward the spawning flats, using the drains and ditch- begin to move out of the really shallow spawning
es, it is not uncommon to find them grouped up. For areas. If you have
instance, if you are on a lake with a lot of grass you boat docks on your
can target those fish with a lipless crankbait. Rayburn lake, fish will begin
red is one of the favorite colors. For shallower grass, to setup under
use a half ounce and for a little deeper grass, you a those for protec-
three-quarter ounce ripping it through the top of the tion and as ambush
grass to get a reaction bite. Two other options include points. This is also
shallow diving crankbait just over the top of the grass a time to look for
or a jerkbait that you are working, again, just over the shad and blue gill
top of the grass. Regardless of which of the three you spawning. During
select, you are able to cover a lot of water. I’ve already this time frame,
mentioned red colors for the spring, but other good covering water
Lady Bass Anglers Association 39
