Tactics for spring bass

Posted by: semago

Tactics for spring bass - 04/19/07 12:58 AM

Hey I realize the general techniques for fishing prespawn, spawning, and postspawn bass. But I'm having trouble locating the fish pretty much right now. Anybody know what the fish are doing generally in the Pierce county, King county area. I'm talkin about largemouth bass.
At my lake they aren't in shallow water, that's for sure. I live on a natural lake that is kinda bowl shaped all around and without points. So structure highlights really don't stand out on the depthfinder. I have a really hard time finding the fish in these conditions, I feel lost when I can't see the structure. I think I need to locate fish better. Are bass just as able to bite fast lures at deeper depths then they are to bite slow lures at deeper depths? Even when both are generally in their strike zone.

Any suggestions? Thanks a lot for any type of help. I've read a lot of books on bass fishing, but am having trouble putting it all together, I lack experience and confidence in my presentations
Posted by: Jay S

Re: Tactics for spring bass - 04/19/07 11:00 AM

find water thats at least 50 degrees and try some stick baits see if that helps at all. fast or slow until you locate or try burnin a spinnerbait as fast as possible until you either get a strike or see fallows.
Posted by: Knucklebustersonly

Re: Tactics for spring bass - 04/19/07 11:40 AM

I've been throwing around a small chartreuse spinnerbait and have had some success the last two times out this spring for bass...Try throwing it around and make a few casts to each area, I got my bass when I made multiple casts to the general areas. It will require patience.
Posted by: semago

Re: Tactics for spring bass - 04/22/07 05:31 PM

Thanks for the tips. This lack of fish is frustrating me. Do you guys know any techniques for locating the fish. I think I am most confused on the location and depth.
Posted by: Knucklebustersonly

Re: Tactics for spring bass - 04/22/07 08:34 PM

It's not really a lack of fish persay...

The recent cold weather has still kept the water temps a few degrees below what it needs to be for bass to move up in the shallows. They are very sluggish because of this cold water, so if you do try and go out, try and fish smaller lakes and ponds and find warmer water and then present your lures very slowly....

Weightless rig any plastics and what not.

I went out last night and got 3 bass out of a tiny pond (not very big bass, but bass nonetheless) and in another pond I've already had a 3 lber smack a spinnerbait in 4 feet of water...

Go out on a warm sunsoaked day and try and fish the shallow water for some bass. Give it two weeks and the bass should all be in the prespawn pattern looking for beds and what not...

Good luck
Posted by: semago

Re: Tactics for spring bass - 04/22/07 10:15 PM

Thanks a lot that sounds pretty good.
Posted by: Knucklebustersonly

Re: Tactics for spring bass - 04/22/07 10:17 PM

Work the areas right outside the shallows...Dropoffs, points, ridges, anything that is just below the shallows really...These fish are waiting to push up into the shallows so they are basically in staging areas..

The weather forecast looks better for the next week, so maybe the warmer weather will bbring the bass shallow...

62 and sunny on Saturday and 67 and sunny on Sunday...
Posted by: semago

Re: Tactics for spring bass - 04/22/07 10:48 PM

The lake i generally fish and am talking about is about as lame as it gets in terms of depth changes and points. It's just a big bowl. And I've found few changes in the bottom through my depth finder. So the dropoff and holding location of the bass is difficult to find. However I know where all the biggest bass hang out in the summer and fall. I would assume they don't move far to their haunts in deeper water. The lake only reaches 30 feet max depth anyways. Hope that steady weather pulls em out
Posted by: Knucklebustersonly

Re: Tactics for spring bass - 04/22/07 11:30 PM

Well thats good that the lake isn't too deep. It'll heat up faster then other deeper lakes...

You can just work the dropoffs with jigs and soft plastics...

They will move pretty far to hide...They will move to a certain weedbed or something with cover in deep water even if its a ways away...
Posted by: Channel Chasin

Re: Tactics for spring bass - 04/23/07 06:29 AM

It sounds like you have a boat. What you could do is make your own structure. For example you could collect the left over christmas trees and sink them at various location in the lake. If the bottom is featureless you give the bass something to relate to.
Posted by: semago

Re: Tactics for spring bass - 04/23/07 11:54 PM

Yeah, that's a great idea. Me and my friend plan on doing that in Lake Tapps sometime before the water rises. Hey Fish Hunter, do you use faster lures to try and locate spring bass? Or do you simply think they won't follow it anyways?