Spring is in the air

Spring is approaching and fishermen all over the heartland are getting their gear ready and go hit the lake. This past winter has been a harsh one and now that the lakes are unthawed and the weather is starting to take a turn for the better, fishing is now the number one priority. Every year new baits come out on the market and we all can’t wait to throw them. But sometimes we all get caught up in all of the hype of the new baits that we forget about the tried and true ones that have worked for decades. Think about it. What is one of the number one baits to throw in the spring time? The answer is simple. A spinnerbait. This one bait can be thrown all year long but really shines in the spring. It is the one bait that bass absolutely crush this time of year. Bass move from their winter habitat to the warming shallows to get prepared for the spawn. They feed heavily on whatever food source they have available. Shallow water is perfect for the spinnerbait to shine. There are many different colors and sizes on the market but a 3/8 ounce white or white/chartreuse works almost every time. One thing I like to look for in a lake to help me choose what type of spinnerbait I want to throw is the water color I will be fishing. If the water is stained to dirty I will use a Strike King Premier Plus double Colorado blade(gold) with a white/chartreuse skirt. I like to slow roll the bait along laydowns or over submerged grass. One key is the dirtier the water, the slower I reel. Sometimes I will even pause the bait and shake my rod then continue reeling. By doing this I can generate a reaction strike. Another key is to make multiple casts using different angles to figure out how the fish are positioned on whatever type of cover you are fishing. If the water is stained to clear I will use the same Premier Plus only with a willow/colorado blade combination. A white or shad like skirt is preferred. I can speed up my retrieve a little but not too much. If the water is clear I will switch to a Strike King Burner spinnerbait which has a double willow leaf blade combination. I can reel this bait quicker and jerk the bait occasionally making it appear like a wounded bait fish. I throw all of my spinnerbaits on 17lb. to 20lb. Vicious Fluorocarbon since I am fishing around heavy cover. One thing I always do is use a Mustad trailer hook. A lot of times a bass will short strike the bait but is still catchable if you have a trailer hook. I use an Ardent XS1000 5.0 to 1 gear ratio reel for slow rolling the bait if the water is murky and an Ardent XS1000 6.3 to 1 gear ratio reel for really moving the bait. A spinnerbait is a great all around bait and is deadly in the spring. As the water warms head to the shallows and start chucking and winding. You just might start the season out with a bang.