Spring Bass Fishing - Phases of the Spawn

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 spring bass fishing skills. In this article, he discusses the approaches that work well for fall bass fishing.

In the spring, bass are found in all three phases of the spawn—pre-spawn, on the beds, and post-spawn. All bass do not spawn simultaneously, and spring bass fishing means you can catch them coming to the beds, on the beds, and after they spawn. The springtime is truly the best and easiest time to catch numbers and good size bass.

Pre-Spawn Bass

Pre-spawn is the most active time for feeding. Lures such as spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, and crankbaits work well since the bass will likely chase baits. If the males are building beds and waiting for the females to arrive, a wacky worm or a shakey head will entice them to bite.

Bass on the Beds

Bass that are on the beds are the most difficult to catch. They will either ignore baits on the bed or pick them up and move them away from the bed. Compact baits like a small jig, a creature bait, or a drop shot are good choices. Leave the bait in the bed if the water clarity is good and gently shake or “dead stick” the bait until the bass can’t stand it any longer and picks it up.

Usually, the male will bite first as he is the defender of the bed, and after catching the male, the female will often bite next. After catching a bass off of a bed, I recommend that you release them immediately, and they will return to the bed quickly and resume the spawning activity. My favorite bait for catching the males is a wacky rigged Senko in green pumpkin (a year-round best color) with the tips dyed chartreuse – this coloration closely resembles a bluegill.

Post-Spawn Bass

During the post-spawn, the males and females are in two different modes. The males will stay and guard the fry. The fry are just like babies and puppies in that they tend to wander. If you see a pod of fry, rest assured that a male is close by and will attack bluegills or perch attempting to eat the fry.

If you catch a bass defending his young, please release it immediately so that the fry have their guardian back. The odds of fry surviving without protection are very slim, so let’s give them a hand.

The females behave very differently post-spawn. They will retreat to a little deeper water to recuperate and feed. They prefer a bigger meal that doesn’t expend much energy, so a bigger jig, a slow retrieved single spin spinnerbait, or a square bill crankbait worked at a medium speed will generate bites. One of my favorite baits for both pre and post-spawn is a shallow running jerk bait in colors that resemble shad or blueback herring. I have found that a jerk-jerk-pause retrieve works best. Later in the year, a constant and quick retrieve works better, but for the spring, put the brakes on often.

I’m always experimenting to find baits and techniques that work during the various phases of the spawn. Hopefully, these spring bass fishing tips help. Tight lines and happy fishing!