Late Spring Bass Fishing Tips - Tackle, Baits, and Tips

Mike Brown of Clarks Hill, South Carolina, is a member of the PartsVu community and a bass tourney winner. He generously provided invaluable advice to help people interested in improving their late spring bass fishing skills. In this article, he discusses the approaches that work well for fall bass fishing.

Late spring bass fishing adds even more intrigue to the sport. The bass spawn is waning with a few beds still to be found and many males guarding fry; however, another annual event—the herring and shad spawn—is also near. Next to the bass pre-spawn and spawning stages, the herring/shad spawn is one of the easiest times to catch lots of really nice bass.

The blueback herring and shad spawn on just about any solid objects—rocks, dock floats and clay banks are among their favorites. I’ve learned that the very best locations are long shallow rocky points near creek or river bends. When the herring are present, bass take advantage of the herring and shad spawning preoccupation and gorge themselves.

Since the herring and shad travel in schools, numerous bass, and in the southeast hybrids and stripers as well, are all actively feeding at the same time. The predator fish commonly, but now always, show themselves by pushing herring and shad onto the surface with a wild display.

Anglers in tune with the spawn also know that bass will stay in the prime areas waiting on a school of herring or shad awaiting an easy meal. I do not know the reason, but windy points are usually the most productive. Tournament bass anglers will run up to 30 different points during a day of fishing, often focusing on the most wind-blown points, making up to a dozen casts before moving to another. Clearer water is typically better.

Late Spring Bass Fishing Baits

Numerous baits will work for this pattern, including swimbaits, bladed jigs, hard jerk baits, and top waters, but the most success is often achieved using a soft plastic jerk bait. White is the most common color used, but other colors may work better depending on light conditions.

Common Tackle

The tackle most commonly used is a baitcasting outfit with 12-15# fluorocarbon line. A spinning outfit can also be used with a 15# braid main line with a 10’ 10-12# fluorocarbon leader. Desirable hooks are a 3/0 - 5/0 size. The hook style is primarily personal preference, and options include a wide gap, round bend, or a straight shank hook. Below you can see the different types of hooks, baits, and rigging. A large barrel swivel is attached in-line about 10-15" above the hook.

Add a Swivel

A swivel adds two advantages. One to counter line twist, and advantage two is to add weight to the rig, which is helpful when throwing the relatively light bait when there is wind. If a strong wind is present, boat positioning can be critical. Keep your boat upwind of the target area and cast downwind. It will keep the line straight, so you can detect a bite and eliminate a bow in your line, enabling a good hookset. The retrieve can be varied, but since the herring are very fast swimmers, a fast retrieve with a constant sharp jerk is usually best. If that is not working, then a jerk-jerk-jerk pause retrieve should be employed.

Get out soon and take advantage of a relatively short window for this pattern!

Closing Late Spring Bass Fishing Tips

• Leave the hook point exposed unless throwing into cover – better hook-up rate!
• In heavy wind wrap, about ten wraps of small diameter lead wire around the hook shank
• The Strike King Caffeine Shad is a little heavier as well as the Yamamoto D Shad (not shown)
• A new bait in this technique is the Googan Baits Darts – Interesting newcomer (not shown)
• A double fluke rig can be used. Commonly called the Donkey Rig. Who knows why!! It can be very effective. Look it up!
• Keep a blueish-green sharpie handy to add color to the top of a bait to imitate a blueback herring or gray/black to imitate a shad. Stop at a bait shop to see the colors.
• SUPER SECRET TIP (Don’t tell) - The blue/green color on the herring only comes out in bright sunlight!