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Top 10 Tips for Fishing for Bass in Spring

I see new lures and advertisements for new equipment, and I need to get some. Looking at all the new fishing lures and gear, I have to get them. Although I bought several things last year, I have not used them yet. If you are a largemouth bass fisherman, you know exactly what I mean.

Bassin early in the season can be the best time of year to catch big bass. They have eaten little during the winter because cold water slows down their metabolism and now that the water is heating up; they are hungry and ready to eat.

The largest largemouth bass I have ever caught was on an opening day of the season, in about 6 feet of water, near flooded wood. He was using an original black and gold Rapala moving it on the surface near the trees. I toss it and let it rest near a tree. I saw the wake coming through the water about 10 feet away. He struck so hard that his entire body came out of the water. Six pounds 4 ounces. It was amazing.

Preparing to spawn.

1. Many baits work well early in the season because most wolves stay in shallow water for most of the day where the water is warmer. The fish are looking for a place to lay eggs, or they have laid eggs and are protecting them. Even after spawning, when they are protecting the fry, they will be close to their chosen litter. They can be aggressive or they may not move even if you hit them with the lure, I have seen both reactions. It can be very frustrating when you see the fish and hold the lure in front of their faces and they won’t move.
2. The warmest water will be at the north end of the lake in the spring. The sun is still low in the sky to the south, so the far north will get sun for much longer during the day. The sun hitting the lake can heat the water temperature by 5 degrees or more in one day. The seabass will go to shallower, warmer waters because there is more activity from small fish, crayfish, and other food sources. The dark areas of the bottom at the northern end of the lake will heat up faster, because the black bottom retains heat better than the light-colored sandy bottoms.

Where to fish.
3. Do not go over the sandy bottom flats, however. There is a lake that I fish regularly, which I love to get to before the sun rises. There is an area on the northeast side of the lake, about 10 acres of flat sand, 3 to 6 feet deep. I can’t even count how many sea bass I have caught in this area, throwing a medium crankbait and bouncing along the sandy bottom. Bass love to cross the sandy plains at dawn, they are aggressive and they love to bite.

4. Shut up. When you’re fishing in shallow water, the noise you make travels a long way through the water and is greatly amplified by what you hear. I have a large radio with a CD player on my boat, I never have it on when I’m fishing. Can you imagine how that sounds to fish?

I recommend that you even turn off the engine before arriving at your place and use the trolling engine to get closer. I think it’s even better if you set the trolling motor to a very low speed and leave it running while in shallow water, so that it makes a steady low sound. If you have it at high speed and you keep pressing and turning it off, it can also scare the fish.

Leave things on the ground quietly and move as little as you can when in shallow water, especially if you are in an aluminum boat. Just think of whatever noise you make is amplified through your helmet and through the water.

Structure
5. When in shallow water, look for any structures you can see. There is a line of brush, trees in the water, boat lifts, rocks, etc. Never pass a pier without fishing it from the front to the shore. If you’ve ever fished off a dock, you know that small sunfish, crappies, and other small fish like to hang out on docks. What do seabass like to eat? Smaller fish. The Bass know the food will be there, so they go there to eat.

Any weeds like reeds that stick to the water and grow on the sand flats can be awesome at the right time. There is a lake where my brother and I have fished a lot. There is a reed bed in about 5 feet of water on a sandy plain that we had fished earlier and fished for.

One day in a light rain in early June we went to this reed bed and over the course of the next 5 hours we caught over 80 Bass in the 2-4 pound range, not huge but a good size and fun to do. catch in Minnesota. We caught them all in rigged, weightless, bright purple woven plastic worms. It was the most phenomenal single fishing experience I have ever had. We finally quit because we were tired of fishing. We have caught a lot more Bass from those reed beds, but never anything like that day.

Longer releases
6. Throw more time. When in shallow water, and especially if it is clear, you want to cast longer so as not to scare the fish. If you’re fishing on a sandy floor, you can switch to a rod with a lighter line, because you don’t have to worry about fish hanging out of the undergrowth. The lighter line will allow you to cast farther and use smaller baits if necessary.

7. Wear polarized sunglasses. You will be amazed at how best you can see through the glare on the surface of the water and see the fish if the water is relatively clear. Seeing fish always excites you. I have never tried one of the underwater cameras, but that is why they have become popular. It motivates you if you see the fish. The cameras look great, but I think I’d spend more time looking at the screen than fishing, so it wouldn’t help me catch more fish.

Use all your arsenal.
8. Test all your lures. Sometimes any lure will work in the spring. Start with the lures that can cover the most water the fastest. If you are fishing on a sandy floor that is open, start with a crankbait. If you’re fishing for a weed line or other structure and the water is rough, start with a spinnerbait or charlatan. If it comes out when the sun is out, definitely try a surface that you can toss near the deck and lure them in to bite. If faster fishing lures don’t work, switch to jigs and or worms. Every obvious structure. I start with a spinnerbait and then go to a tube jig or plastic worm before continuing. If you find a lure that is working, use it until it isn’t. Fish can change whatever they want multiple times during the same day, so don’t hang on a single lure. Try different lures and you will catch Bass.

9. Go for smaller lures. If you can’t find anything that works. Go for a smaller bait and something that can be fished more slowly. A smaller crappie-sized spinnerbait or smaller tube jig, or 4-inch plastic worms can be the ticket to delicate bedding or post-spawning bass.

Go fishing
10. Go bass fishing. If you live in Minnesota like I do, and you are a bass fisherman, you are part of a smaller group of fishermen. Most Minnesota fishermen fish for walleye and panfish. There is nothing wrong with Walleye or Panfish or Pike. I catch panfish every time I want excellent fish to eat, there is nothing better than sunfish and mojarra fillets lightly breaded and fried in butter.

One thing you might not know if you don’t fish for bass is that you catch a lot of pike when you fish for bass. I catch my fair share of Walleyes while fishing for sea bass. Brush fishing at the edges of deeper water is a good place to catch good-sized Walleyes to eat, and they will catch spinnerbaits and crankbaits quite easily. My point is to go bass fishing and you’ll be hooked, especially if you’re like me, and you hate standing still and looking at a bobber.

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