Pre Spawn Bass Techniques

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

How are you chasing bass when they're in pre-spawn?
Looking for steep transitions from deeper (12'-20') with rocks (that might stay a bit warmer) and structure? Fishing shallow structure later in the day? Sunny side of docks that have drop offs later in the day? Looking for big shallow bays that are warming up quicker with structure?

Sure every lake (or river) is a bit different, but I'm curious if those that chase bass pre-spawn have some over lapping techniques that others could benefit from trying on their local hole.

I usually start with sink tip (I/3/5) and fish down around 15' where I know there's structure and a connection from deep water to shallow or a point early in the day looking for fish that are getting hungry and ready to come into the shallows. And then as the day warms up switch to floating line and start looking for structure in the shallower areas where there might be some fish that have come up into the warmer water to look for food. Weed lines along deeper areas or sunny side of docks that have deep water near by tend to get most of my attention.

How are you getting after the pre-spawn bass of washington?

 

[clarkman]

smallies or largies?

I'll follow along here as I'm basically just starting down my bassy road (over the last ~3 years).

For my local smallie waters I frequent, I've been doing well in the backwaters once they hit 50. All I do is throw baitfish patterns on sinking lines (type 4 in water that's ~10-15' deep). I'm going to throw more (or some) topwater this year, but I've been getting my largest fish on ~3-4" baitfish patterns (hooked a steelhead on the same pattern last year, so they seem to like it). Every year, I just tweak things a little bit to hopefully figure out just a little bit more about how to get after them.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

Both!! But good point. I've mainly been chasing LM, but would be really curious to hear what some of the folks that are having success with the smallies are doing.

 

[Pink Nighty]

In my neck of the woods Bassin is a lake/pond game. Early in the year there are not many young baitfish yet and I fin bass on bugs. Big nymphs, damselfy nymphs, buggers etc... I've considered throwing big patterns that would resemble mature bluegill, but have found bass more than willing to be gorging themselves on insects, especially early in the year.

I'm bank bound so I'm always fishing relatively shallow. I try to find emerging weed beds and slowly work them over. Later in the day I'm looking for piles of shallow rock that absorb the heat of the sun all day.

There are bass in shallow water 24/7 365. Not all of them, but some of them never leave the shallows and go deep for winter, specifically LM. And come spawn time nearly all the bass in the system will be shallow. So when fishing for them, without the aid of a boat and electronics, I tend to fish relatively shallow all the time. Sometimes I'm fishing "deeper" but I'm still in the relative shadows.

Finally until things warm up I'm a big believer in slow moving presentations. Floating lines and lightly weighted bugs that sink slowly work best for me. It can be trying on the patience waiting for them to get to depth, but a slowly sinking bugger is just too easy of a meal to pass up. And once they are at the depth you want, short twitchy retrieves and crawls keep it there.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

Finally until things warm up I'm a big believer in slow moving presentations. Floating lines and lightly weighted bugs that sink slowly work best for me. It can be trying on the patience waiting for them to get to depth, but a slowly sinking bugger is just too easy of a meal to pass up. And once they are at the depth you want, short twitchy retrieves and crawls keep it there.

I like the idea of slow sinking or suspending the fly. Especially when the water is still relatively cold.
Makes me think I need to try out a float and fly rig.

 

[Pink Nighty]

I like the idea of slow sinking or suspending the fly. Especially when the water is still relatively cold.
Makes me think I need to try out a float and fly rig.

I've tried this without success, I'm sure theres a variable I'm missing because I'll pop the indi off and have success with a slow retrieve when not moving it wasnt getting love. Maybe it's just covering a little more water but I have yet to get a bass under a float. Lots of bluegill but no bass.

I'm thinking in slightly moving water or choppy water it would work out. Keep it subtly moving the entire time and I bet it gets bit.

 

[Dr. Magill]

How about some foam in the fly for a neutral buoyancy type setup
Like a suspended bait
In bass lingo they have a name

 

[Pink Nighty]

How about some foam in the fly for a neutral buoyancy type setup
Like a suspended bait
In bass lingo they have a name

Like a jerk bait! Flashy and shimmery that sinks slooooowwwww like 1.5ips. With some bulk to flutter while it sinks then lays down on a jerk.

That's not the style of fly I fish but its certainly in the same vein movement wise.

I bet in the fall when they're murdering bait a flashy jerk fly would kill

 

[Billy]

I've caught some great prespawn topwater bass both largemouth and smallmouth. Water temps 57-59. Look for the sun shining on stuff. Shallow bays. Etc.

 

[Josh]

Look for the sunshining on stuff

Sun? Is that the liquid stuff falling from the clouds?

Sigh. PNW spring.

 

[Coach Potter]

Grinding crank baits and rattle traps off the first break and swimming a jig around wood . I‘m so deeply engrained in traditional bass fishing its hard for me to envision fishing for them with a fly rod.

IMO opinion, the pre-spawn is the easiest time to find them. If you know where they spawn you can move out and around from there…they won’t be too far from where they will soon be heading to. In the basin I typically find SM on beds by the 3rd week of April.

I’m struggling to get my head around how I would catch them on a fly rod. You guys all have some great ideas but all I can think about is how much I would have to slow down to pull it off.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

Grinding crank baits and rattle traps off the first break and swimming a jig around wood . I‘m so deeply engrained in traditional bass fishing its hard for me to envision fishing for them with a fly rod.

IMO opinion, the pre-spawn is the easiest time to find them. If you know where they spawn you can move out and around from there…they won’t be too far from where they will soon be heading to. In the basin I typically find SM on beds by the 3rd week of April.

I’m struggling to get my head around how I would catch them on a fly rod. You guys all have some great ideas but all I can think about is how much I would have to slow down to pull it off.

I've been known to throw a crank bait thru an area after trying to cover the water with a fly. No shame. Bass are just so much fun any way you go after them.

 

[Pink Nighty]

Grinding crank baits and rattle traps off the first break and swimming a jig around wood . I‘m so deeply engrained in traditional bass fishing its hard for me to envision fishing for them with a fly rod.

IMO opinion, the pre-spawn is the easiest time to find them. If you know where they spawn you can move out and around from there…they won’t be too far from where they will soon be heading to. In the basin I typically find SM on beds by the 3rd week of April.

I’m struggling to get my head around how I would catch them on a fly rod. You guys all have some great ideas but all I can think about is how much I would have to slow down to pull it off.

Ever fish weightless plastics? That's my primary gear method and I think thats what informs my desire to fly fish for them and the techniques I use. Lots of line watching, dissecting cover and waiting for a slow sinking plastic to hover down to depth.

I do love throwing jackhammers and cranks from time to time, and now Is the time for those in western wa. Before all the bass water is just grass and snot.

 

[clarkman]

I've been known to throw a crank bait thru an area after trying to cover the water with a fly. No shame. Bass are just so much fun any way you go after them.

Last year, I did did something similar and noticed that I tend to catch far more on flies than gear....then again, I don't gear fish all that often. The majority of the flies I throw are baitfish jerk or glide style flies. I get plenty on crayfish patterns fished deep, but that's not my preference and usually just something I fall back on if nothing else is going on. One of my local rivers is up to 50 (as in 15 min from my doorstep), so I'm doing some recon soon....like, very soon.

 

[Oliver1329]

Thanks for this great thread. I have a pond nearby me that has some largemouth in it. It's super small and if I had to guess the deepest spot is probably 10 feet. Any tips to target them? I've gone and tried many things with no success.

 

[clarkman]

Found a decent number of players today. water temp = 51-52. lots of fat females. Find a baitfish ball, find bass.

 

[Squatchin]

67 degrees next Thursday. May take a walk down to the ol' fishin hole.

 

[clarkman]

Soooo, just to throw a wrench in "what bass do"....my largest fish (multiple fish at a legit 18"+) all came out of way faster current than I've ever read (or experienced) for pre-spawn (water temp was 51-52 depending on location). super weird.

I almost took my 6wt bamboo to play around with. I'm glad I didn't. I'll save that for this summer.

 

[CanoeGuy]

Some years I catch them on baitfish patterns on a fast sink line but last year a jiggy leach thing in black and orange or black and pink was the ticket. Fished slow on an intermediate line. First trip will be next Thursday or Friday.

 

[doublespey]

Until l I break out the topwater flies in summer, my favorite fly is one that was inspired by our own Stonefish . . . he posted a pic of a rabbit strip leech with some high-vis foam glued to the last 1/2 of the tail years ago on the old site. Brilliant - it adds a bit of orange or green color and it floats the tail up same as the plastic worms on shakey head jigs once it hits the bottom. I generally tie those flies on a 4/0 weedless Gami with a large conehead, a black or brown rabbit strip and a few rubber legs thrown in at the head. Floating line and 12' of 15lb Maxima. Cast it out toward laydowns or docks and wait for awhile after it sinks to the bottom and then begin a very slow hand-twist retrieve.