Pre-spawn fishing is an actual problem for loads of anglers, and the explanations are all too clear.
Cool water temperatures could have woken largemouth from their winter’s torpor, however they’re nonetheless removed from energetic till the water warms to close the magic 55-degree mark. Even the large bass, hungry as they naked, shall be finicky, sluggish to strike, and downright picky.
They’re additionally not schooled-up tight in deep holes the place the inversion of the thermocline saved them heat in the course of the coldest months.
So what’s the answer to those issues?
- First, it is advisable to throw the suitable lures.
- Second, it is advisable to use the suitable methods.
- Third, it is advisable to find the bass and key-in on seemingly areas to look with high quality electronics.
Let’s break these down intimately.
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Pre-spawn Lure Choice and Approach
When the bass are as sluggish and finicky as a toddler introduced with brussel sprouts, it is advisable to take into consideration matching the hatch fastidiously and slowing means down. It’s additionally a good suggestion to experiment with sizing your lure choice up and down a bit, as measurement actually does matter to cranky bass.
Pre-spawn lure choice is all about seduction; it is advisable to entice a sluggish, lethargic bass right into a strike. That calls for both finesse or erratic motion that stays put, maintaining your lure within the strike zone for lengthy sufficient to get the bass excited and able to chew.
Which lures do I select?
Jerkbaits
Jerkbaits are a incredible alternative for cool water and sluggish bass as a result of they create the erratic rolling and darting that triggers response strikes, in addition to mimicking dying baitfish with their head-down place and sluggish floating ascents or descents.
Add to those virtues {that a} exhausting pop of your rod tip on a slack line will flip the most effective of the bunch again on themselves, nearly 180-degrees of re-orientation, and also you’ve received a killer lure that actually will change your luck.
For me, two jerkbaits actually stand out: the Rapala X-Rap and the Strike King KVD Sinking Deep Jerkbait.
Strike King KVD Sinking Deep Jerkbait
The Strike King KVD Sinking Deep Jerkbait is an early spring hammer.
When the water temperatures are down-right cool on your local weather, the bass gained’t be shallow. Even after the thermocline flips, permitting cooler water to settle to the underside and maintaining hotter water close to the floor, the bass will solely simply be starting to transition shallow.
For these circumstances, nothing beats a deep-diving jerkbait just like the Strike King KVD.
It dives shortly to roughly 11 ft, and whether or not you utilize it as a search bait by working it slowly down the perimeters of some extent or ship it dancing with quick pulses of your rod tip on a slack line, the Strike King KVD produces excellent motion.
This lure rolls, darts, twists, and turns like a champ, though I discover it’s not fairly as straightforward to get it chasing its tail because the Rapala X-Rap.
However it works deeper than this different, and when the bass are holding in 15 to twenty ft of water, I’m reaching for this jerkbait each time.
Rapala X-Rap
The Rapala X-Rap has the motion it is advisable to goal sleepy bass.
When the transition brings huge females into 10 ft of water or much less, the X-Rap is the way in which to go.
Why? The Rapala X-Rap might be the undisputed king of motion.
It’s finest labored when the bass are on transitional construction like drop-offs, humps, and factors.
It’s not a very deep diver, hitting a max of about six ft. However nothing wobbles or turns just like the X-Rap when jerked on slack line, and with a couple of minutes of observe, you’ll be able to have this jerkbait turning circles and chasing its tail very quickly.
You too can work it with a twitch and pause approach that takes benefit of its erratic darting motion and head-down place within the water. And since it’s neutrally buoyant, it stays the place you need it within the water column as you play within the strike zone.
Jigs
As you definitely know by now, early spring means the bass are going to be deep, at the same time as they start their transition.
And for deep water and sluggish bass, it’s exhausting to beat a finesse jig just like the Warfare Eagle Heavy Finesse Jig.
Warfare Eagle Heavy Finesse Jig
Designed by Andy Morgan, these diminutive jigs are heavy sufficient to forged properly and sink shortly. Out there in ½- and ⅜ ounce sizes, and armed 3/0 Gamakatsu hook, they’re provided in lethal deep-water colours like blues and blacks.
I forged these jigs on the deep aspect of transition zones, allow them to settle to the underside, after which pop them into the water column, slowly decide up line to maintain it tight, and allow them to settle once more. A range the cadence and alter the peak and size of these hops till I begin getting hit – and it doesn’t take lengthy!
Crankbaits
In hotter climates the place the bass gained’t be holding as deep, I really like crankbaits for early spring, and when fished correctly, they are often devastating even when the bass are sluggish to strike.
The key to crankbait fishing is to run these little boogers into each stick, rock, stump, and blow down you’ll find in transition zones. They’re head-down orientation will maintain the sharp trebles from snagging as a rule, and the erratic darts and deflections created by impacts set off response strikes like nothing else can.
My high picks are no-brainers: Strike King’s KVD Silent Sq. and Strike King’s KVD Rattling Sq..
Strike King’s KVD Silent Sq.
The place crawfish are a naturally-occuring prey merchandise – and that’s true over a lot of the South – huge females will preferentially feed on them as they provide an unbelievable nutrient profile.
In consequence I select crankbaits in reds, oranges, and crawfish patterns.
KVD labored with Strike King to design a squarebill with a decent wobble and a singular “looking” motion. Like a beagle sniffing down rabbits, it really works backwards and forwards as you crank it, and that huge invoice deflects fantastically on impression.
Strike King’s KVD Rattling Sq.
I change to the KVD Rattling Sq. when the water is murky from runoff, stained purple from clay, or blackened to the colour of robust tea by the tannin in submerged leaves. That additional noise and vibration actually does the trick when visibility is poor.
Senkos and Stick Baits
One of the crucial in style baits by far, Senkos are simply as lethal in cool water, pre-spawn circumstances as they’re later within the yr.
The trick is to rig them for finesse.
I range between three choices: wacky rigging, Ned rigging, and shaky heads.
5-inch “Watermelon Black Purple Flake” Senko
For me, a 5-inch “Watermelon Black Purple Flake” Senko that’s been wacky rigged is the right weapon to solicit strikes from sluggish bass.
There’s simply one thing about that fluttering fall because it settles to the underside after every light carry of your rod tip that turns bass on and will get them biting.
3-inch Senko
I additionally wish to downsize to a 3-inch Senko on a Ned rig or shaky head. The trick right here is to go slower than you suppose it is best to, provide light pops and sluggish drifts downward, and to make use of the smallest, lightest weights you’ll be able to forged successfully.
Extra finesse, slower motion, and smaller Senkos can outfish bigger, brasher choices in early spring – assured.
Texas- or Carolina-Rigged Craws
When sluggish feminine bass are on the lookout for a nutritious meal to assist them develop their eggs and regain weight misplaced to the winter, nothing is healthier than crawfish.
And wherever crawfish are a pure prey merchandise, a comfortable plastic craw rigged both Carolina or Texas model relying on the underside is a lethal possibility.
Strike King Rage Tail Craw
My private favourite is the 4-inch Strike King Rage Tail Craw.
The trick is to select the suitable colours – lifelike hues of inexperienced, purple, orange, or black work finest – and high work your craw slowly.
I don’t imply form of slowly; I imply crawl.
I wish to carry my craw off the underside, decide my reel a crank or two to maintain my line tight, and let it flutter again down. In the event you do that, go away it alone for just a few seconds to offer sleepy bass an opportunity to essentially key in in your lure. Then repeat as mandatory.
I additionally like to tug my craws with a side-sweeping motion, letting them bump alongside the underside, crawl by reside weed beds, and usually act like an actual crawfish.
Once more, the important thing right here is to maneuver inches at a time, not ft.
And if the Texas or Carolina rig aren’t your factor, strive Ned-rigging a Rage Tail. You’ll be amazed by how properly this trailer works with a lightweight head!
Discovering Pre-Spawn Bass
The primary exhausting reality of the pre-spawn is that the bigger females may have moved from their winter holes first, leaving these cold-weather havens and dispersing extra broadly throughout the lake or pond.
They might not even be really transitioning, relying on the climate and water temperature, and so they’ll be slowly waking up from their cold-induced torpor.
Seemingly spots are comparatively deep earlier, to true transitional zones because the water will get into the low 50s.
And also you’ll need to scout the standard spots: humps, factors, drop offs, and different construction that’s middleman between really deep water (on your location) and the place bass will spawn when that point comes.
In the event you don’t have fishing electronics, search baits just like the Strike King KVD Silent Sq. could be very useful, particularly should you run these throughout the grade of construction, attempting to find bass.
However by far one of the best ways to find pre-spawn largemouth is with good fishing electronics used correctly.
What do I imply?
With side-scanning and down-imaging fish finders making their means into the arms of anglers increasingly more annually, understanding how 2D sonar, SI, and DI work collectively is critically essential.
Fish finders aren’t “set it and neglect it” electronics, and it is advisable to use your fishfinder’s full capabilities.
While you begin your search in seemingly areas, particularly in deeper water, customary sonar settings are most likely finest. When you begin seeing fish, change to DI and actually take an in depth look.
If the lakes you fish backside out at 50 ft or so, skip the usual 2D sonar and run SI previous seemingly spots, verify DI as properly, and transfer into a very good place to start out your casts.
I assure you’ll discover extra fish, extra shortly.
Remaining Ideas
In the event you select the suitable lures, undertake the suitable methods for cooler water, and use your fishing electronics correctly, the pre-spawn can provide you an excellent head begin on an incredible season of bass fishing.
As at all times, we’re right here to reply any questions you may need, so please go away your feedback and questions under.
