When spring arrives, bass fishing can heat up as fast as the weather. Knowing when to be on the water saves you from casting when bass aren't biting. Water temperature, light, weather and what bass are eating all play a role. Here's how to pick the best times of day this spring.
Early Spring: Fish the Warmest Part of the Day
In early spring, when the water is still cold, bass are often most active in the afternoon. The sun warms shallow water through the day, and even a few degrees can get fish moving and feeding. Look for dark-bottomed flats, rocky banks and protected pockets on the north side of the lake, which get the most sun and warm first.
Late Spring: Dawn and Dusk
As the water warms up, the classic low-light windows take over. Early morning, from dawn to a couple of hours after sunrise, is prime time, since low light makes bass less wary and more willing to roam and feed. The last few hours before sunset into dusk are another strong window, and topwater baits can be deadly then.
Weather Patterns and Bass Behavior
Spring weather changes fast. The days leading up to a front, with warming temps, falling pressure, clouds and wind, are often some of the best fishing of the year. After a cold front passes, with bright bluebird skies and rising pressure, bass often tuck into cover or slide deeper and get harder to catch. Slow down and downsize after a front.
On overcast days, bass are less sensitive to light and may feed more throughout the day, stretching the morning bite or starting the evening bite early.
Where to Look and What to Throw
Bass live in everything from small ponds to big lakes and rivers. They like cover such as logs, weed beds and docks that give them places to ambush prey. Around cover, try a Texas rig with a tungsten bullet weight, a soft plastic and an offset EWG worm hook, which slides through cover without snagging. On more open bottoms, a drop shot or a wacky-rigged stick worm is hard to beat. In rivers, focus on calm pockets and current breaks where bass can rest and wait for food.
How Diet Influences Timing
As water warms, a bass's metabolism speeds up and it needs to eat more. Baitfish and crawfish also become more active in warming shallows. Fishing when and where their prey is active puts you in the right place at the right time. Crawfish-colored jigs like our tungsten football jigs are a spring favorite.
Ready to Cast?
Every lake is a little different, so use these tips as a starting point and keep notes on what works on your water. For more, read Maximizing Spring Fishing and Seasonal Fishing Tips.
What new approach will you try this spring? Tell us in the comments.
