Spring is on the way!!
by E. parker (January 2011)
My Early Spring Baits.
I’m sitting here
looking out of the window as it snows with a bad case of cabin fever!!! I know
a lot of you like myself are ready to hit the water, but hang on, Spring is on
the way.
So, I ask you, what can you do on these snowy days to prepare for spring? How about cleaning your reels, taking inventory on your lures, studying your lake maps, reading your electronics manual, etc.
Now is a good time to study your lake maps, locate some of those Hawg hiding spots that you normally just fly right by.
I like to start with the seasonal pattern for early spring. You know the water temperature will be in the 45 to 55 degree range, depending on where you are located. The watercolor will probably be clear due to the runoffs and the melting of the snow in most places.
So with this information, I would start my hunt on the upper end of a reservoir because these areas tend to warm up first. Once I got there I would look for coves and creeks that have some deep water with a shallow spawning area nearby. Even though it’s spring, the bass will still be in their winter pattern, but looking to move up. So if you start looking for those staging points, you will cross their migration routes as they head shallow, getting ready to spawn in late spring.
The bass will be in the 10 to 25 feet range, so I would use a jig (Blk & Blu) (Brown & Blk), Crankbait (Craw Pattern), Soft Plastic Crawdads (Baby Brush hog) and a Spinnerbait. I listed a few of my go to baits in the photo above.
So I ask you, what are you doing to prepare for spring?
So, I ask you, what can you do on these snowy days to prepare for spring? How about cleaning your reels, taking inventory on your lures, studying your lake maps, reading your electronics manual, etc.
Now is a good time to study your lake maps, locate some of those Hawg hiding spots that you normally just fly right by.
I like to start with the seasonal pattern for early spring. You know the water temperature will be in the 45 to 55 degree range, depending on where you are located. The watercolor will probably be clear due to the runoffs and the melting of the snow in most places.
So with this information, I would start my hunt on the upper end of a reservoir because these areas tend to warm up first. Once I got there I would look for coves and creeks that have some deep water with a shallow spawning area nearby. Even though it’s spring, the bass will still be in their winter pattern, but looking to move up. So if you start looking for those staging points, you will cross their migration routes as they head shallow, getting ready to spawn in late spring.
The bass will be in the 10 to 25 feet range, so I would use a jig (Blk & Blu) (Brown & Blk), Crankbait (Craw Pattern), Soft Plastic Crawdads (Baby Brush hog) and a Spinnerbait. I listed a few of my go to baits in the photo above.
So I ask you, what are you doing to prepare for spring?
Stock your box for pre-spawn
by E.parker (January 2011)
My Pre-Spawn Clear and Stain Baits
Pre-spawn, this could be a fun time for most and a very frustrating time
for many. The water temperature is starting to warm up, the bass are heading to
their shallow spawning areas and starting to get their eat on for the spawn.
Yep, you’ve guess it, it’s going to be an active bite during this period. Now, the problem is, during this time of the year, here in the mid-Atlantic, we will start getting rain and wind, making it hard on the anglers to find these bass headed to the shallows and plus these conditions take bass out of the feeding mood. So what really happens is you have an unhappy wet angler trying to catch a Hawg that’s not in the mood to eat.
Let’s look at a few approaches that might help you get your “5Hawg” limit. We now know that in the pre-spawn period, the bass are moving shallow and trying to eat everything in sight.
First factor: Water Temperature. You should have an idea of what the water temperature should be in your area for bass to spawn (do your homework). Here in the Mid-Atlantic, bass usually spawn in the water temperature in the 57 to 72 degree range. But, keep in mind, not all bass in the lake spawn at the same time; they take turns, so to speak.
Second factor: Forge. Find out what the bass are eating or feeding on. In most areas, it will be crawfish if they are in the shallows and shad if they are still deep headed shallow.
Third factor: Water clarity. If the water is clear you may want to look for their migration routes, the highway they will take to their spawning area. Those areas could be creek channels, points, and possible roadbeds. The baits of choice would be a jerkbait (shad) or a crankbait (shad). If the water is stained or dirty, I like to look in shallow areas with baits like a baby brush hog, crankbait and/or lipless crankbait around wood, rocks, and grass in and around the creek channel bends.
Remember, when on the water, show’ em something different! Hope this helps git you 5Hawgs!
Yep, you’ve guess it, it’s going to be an active bite during this period. Now, the problem is, during this time of the year, here in the mid-Atlantic, we will start getting rain and wind, making it hard on the anglers to find these bass headed to the shallows and plus these conditions take bass out of the feeding mood. So what really happens is you have an unhappy wet angler trying to catch a Hawg that’s not in the mood to eat.
Let’s look at a few approaches that might help you get your “5Hawg” limit. We now know that in the pre-spawn period, the bass are moving shallow and trying to eat everything in sight.
First factor: Water Temperature. You should have an idea of what the water temperature should be in your area for bass to spawn (do your homework). Here in the Mid-Atlantic, bass usually spawn in the water temperature in the 57 to 72 degree range. But, keep in mind, not all bass in the lake spawn at the same time; they take turns, so to speak.
Second factor: Forge. Find out what the bass are eating or feeding on. In most areas, it will be crawfish if they are in the shallows and shad if they are still deep headed shallow.
Third factor: Water clarity. If the water is clear you may want to look for their migration routes, the highway they will take to their spawning area. Those areas could be creek channels, points, and possible roadbeds. The baits of choice would be a jerkbait (shad) or a crankbait (shad). If the water is stained or dirty, I like to look in shallow areas with baits like a baby brush hog, crankbait and/or lipless crankbait around wood, rocks, and grass in and around the creek channel bends.
Remember, when on the water, show’ em something different! Hope this helps git you 5Hawgs!
