The Spawn

The Spawn


As the water temperature rises on lakes and rivers, largemouth bass instinctively migrate to shallow water to begin their annual spawning ritual. Here in the heartland of America largemouth spawn in a very small window of time. Unlike southern lakes where bass may spawn several times a year, around here it is a two to three week event. For most anglers catching spawning bass is not their strength but by practicing and learning what to look for on a bed can become some of the most heart pounding fishing there is . First is locating the beds with bass on them. A good way is to locate clearer water on a particular lake. Bass tend to gravitate toward the backs of protected pockets and creek arms. Once an area is selected drop the trolling motor and go down the bank looking for lighter spots in the water. One key to remember is the use of polarized sunglasses. An amber lens usually works the best. Without them, you will not see the bass. Once a bass is spotted continue to go down the bank making a mental note of where that fish is located. If the bass swims off and comes right back, she can more than likely be caught. If the fish is very skittish and does not return, then keep moving down the bank. Let the fish that you just spotted settle back down. Return to the bed but keep the boat out far from her so that a long cast can be made. If you cannot see her then she cannot see you. The bed has been marked so take a cast. The fish will usually bite on the first cast. Make repeated casts if she does not bite. If you cannot get her to bite, then move in closer to see how the fish is positioned. There is always a sweet spot in the bed where the fish keeps going to. That is where the bait needs to be. The sweet spot can sometimes be seen by a darker small area within the bed. Make several casts repeatedly to that same spot. If the fish keeps turning and coming back to the bed it is only a matter of time before she bites. One key is not to crowd the fish. Boat position is critical. Do not cause the boat to cast a shadow on the bed. Also leave room for the fish to swim in and out of the bed without over crowding her. Try and pay attention to the fish and her mood. Not all bass on beds can be caught so unless a particular fish could be the winner for you in a tournament, do not spend all day on her. However keep coming back to check and see if she is ready to be caught.
No w let’s talk about bait selection. There are a variety of baits that can work well for bedding fish. One of my favorites is the new Strike King Rodent. Natural colors seem to work the best but if you are having a hard time seeing the bait and the fish, a good bait to throw would be the Strike King Bleeding Tube. This bait is one of Shaw Grigsby’s favorite site fishing baits. Other baits are the obvious Rage Tail Lizard or the Rage Tail Craw. These baits have great action in the water and can coax some of the most finicky spawners. Have several rods rigged and by making repeated casts into the bed with a different presentation, it can agitate the fish into striking. The key is to make a subtle pitch into the bed. Move the lure into the sweet spot of the bed and shake the bait without moving the lure out of the bed. This will anger the fish into striking. All my baits I use have a heavy gauged Mustad hook in them.
The right line is also important. A bass can suck a bait into her mouth without you feeling it unless you are using the right line. Fluorocarbon line is the key. I usually use 17# to 20# Vicious Fluorocarbon depending on the situation. If the area is clear from obstructions and I have to down size my presentation, I will use 10# to 12# Vicious Fluorocarbon line. If there is a lot of heavy cover I will switch to Vicious Braid in either 50# or 65# test line.
A fast reel and a stout rod are important. When the fish grabs the lure you want to reel down fast on her and set the hook before she spits it out. If you wait that extra second it will result in a missed fish. I use an Ardent XS1000 reel with a 6.3:1 gear ratio. I use a 7ft Team All Star rod with a fast/medium heavy action.
Using the right equipment is one of the most important things and angler can do to up his odds on catching a spawning bass.
Realize that site fishing for bedding bass is far from easy. And with the limited amount of time to practice this skill, it can get frustrating. Using these few tips and the right tackle just might help you the next time you encounter that big female sitting on her bed.

Luke Estel