04-24-2003, 02:44 PM
[cool]Low and slow. The fish are still in cold mode and seldom move fast to chase a moving bait. Think jig and pig, or slow crawling plastic baits. The takes will often be only slight pressure on the line, or the merest tick. This is finesse fishing. Sometimes they won't even respond to big baits at all, but will suck in small tube jigs being fished for crappies or trout. Try 3" or 4" worms, on 1/16 oz heads, moved in little hops, with a bit of motionless in between.
Early season colors can be black, black and chartreuse, chartreuse or white. Purple or dark blue work well in bright light conditions. It is early for the crawdads to be coming out, but sometimes crawdad colors are good early.
Check the water temp. Until the water goes over about 55, the above info will be valid. Then the largies start waking up and thinking about grabbing some groceries before playing the "Dating Game". That's the time to break out spinner baits, crank baits and jerk baits.
Early season bassin' is a thermometer watching game. These fish are definitely sensitive to minor temperature changes. Fish the north banks a lot in the early spring...where the sun hits and warms the water fastest. Also look for spots where runoff brings in murky water. This absorbs the sun's rays and warms faster than clear water. If you can find a south-facing cove, protected from water-mixing breezes, the temperature will often be that magic two or three degrees higher and you will find more active fish. There are lots of times in the early part of the year when you can see bass (and other species) just laying near the surface...soaking up the rays. These fish are seldom in a feeding mode, but it will help you to locate areas where they hang out.
Another consideration, along the same line, is that fishing in the late afternoon, after a warm day, will usually be better this time of year than will the early morning, when surface temps have dropped overnight. That reverses during the hottest part of the summer, when bass move shallow early but retreat to the depths during the hotter parts of the day.
Just a little bassin' 101. But be warned. About the time you begin to think you have them figured out, they will find 10 ways to restore your humility.
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Early season colors can be black, black and chartreuse, chartreuse or white. Purple or dark blue work well in bright light conditions. It is early for the crawdads to be coming out, but sometimes crawdad colors are good early.
Check the water temp. Until the water goes over about 55, the above info will be valid. Then the largies start waking up and thinking about grabbing some groceries before playing the "Dating Game". That's the time to break out spinner baits, crank baits and jerk baits.
Early season bassin' is a thermometer watching game. These fish are definitely sensitive to minor temperature changes. Fish the north banks a lot in the early spring...where the sun hits and warms the water fastest. Also look for spots where runoff brings in murky water. This absorbs the sun's rays and warms faster than clear water. If you can find a south-facing cove, protected from water-mixing breezes, the temperature will often be that magic two or three degrees higher and you will find more active fish. There are lots of times in the early part of the year when you can see bass (and other species) just laying near the surface...soaking up the rays. These fish are seldom in a feeding mode, but it will help you to locate areas where they hang out.
Another consideration, along the same line, is that fishing in the late afternoon, after a warm day, will usually be better this time of year than will the early morning, when surface temps have dropped overnight. That reverses during the hottest part of the summer, when bass move shallow early but retreat to the depths during the hotter parts of the day.
Just a little bassin' 101. But be warned. About the time you begin to think you have them figured out, they will find 10 ways to restore your humility.
[signature]