Bass Calendar In Nc

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

I did some research and found this:

January- cold month/ bottom fishing

February- cold month / bottom fishing

March- Pre spawn / middle water

April- spawn / middle and top water/ sight bed fish

May- warm month/ middle and top / best

June- warm month/ middle and top / best

July- warm month / middle and top / best

August- warm month / middle and top / best

September- cool month / middle

October- cool month / middle / bottom

November- cold month/ bottom

December- cold month/ bottom

How much variation can these figures go through? I mean is it "nearly impossible" to catch a bass top water in December? For example. Or can the spawn be earlier like if the water temps get 70 degrees in late February for example?

[shimmy]

I think there are obviously going to be limits with a formula like this but i think everything you mentioned has a good likelihood to consistently catch fish, if that helps. More specifically, I think the biggest thing you may be missing out on is state location and how some states receive longer/shorter, colder/warmer winters and perhaps more importantly, bottom fishing in the summer months. Within the past few years, I actually caught bigger bass (6+ pounds) in the summer months bottom fishing than any other time of year (i know this varies between people but the point still remains). For your last question, every lake is different and water temperature is just a piece of the puzzle for early spawn (remember sunlight penetrating the water inducing the hormonal change with fish, longer days in general, and consistency of water temperature/weather to name a few). I understand you are trying to find the "gist" of fishing the right location but i think the most important parts are finding the patterns of the baitfish and the current weather stability/fluctuations. These two things can single-handedly change the locations of bass at any time of the year. I'm sure i'm missing more but this is all i can muster now.

Shimmy

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Sounds good, thanks Shimmy! :-)

[retiredbosn]

I would like to attempt to expand on something shimmy stated, about learning the pattern of the bait; he did not state patterning the bass. Devote some time to study the forage base, know what and where to find it. Find the food you'll find the bass.

[Big Stick Joe]

dude, i live in Spring Lake NC, your like right down the road (kinda) lol

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Joe and Joe!!! Yep. I know where that is. I've fished Harris lake before in new hill

[Traveler2586]

I would like to attempt to expand on something shimmy stated, about learning the pattern of the bait; he did not state patterning the bass. Devote some time to study the forage base, know what and where to find it. Find the food you'll find the bass.

X2 here....

Go to your Department of Natural Resource (or what ever your state calls it ) and mine it for any info on LMB forage in your area. As an example, I found this on MD's DNR site, and found it quite enlightening; not for the articles title, but for the information on the Potomac River's LMB diet. http://dnr.maryland....BandNSH2010.pdf ;

That got me looking around more and I found this http://www.dnr.maryl.../StreamLife.asp

NC, IMHO, isn't that much different from MD in many respects, whether it's the rivers or lakes,,, so your LMB may have a similar diet - not the same diet - but similar. Find out what they eat anyway you can, and that will give you a starting point on what to research on the web. Pick a forage item - say Crayfish - then search the web to learn where and how the Crayfish lives and moves about, key info is usually found under

"Habitat" , i.e. http://www.dnr.maryl...fMD_8_18_10.pdf, then try to apply that info to your fishing area, the bait you use and how you use it.

Finding the forage is a big part of the puzzle, but not the only piece; other pieces like weather, structure, water temp, water clarity, currents, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), presentation, etc. all fit together to form a pattern; find that, and you can jump from location to location with similar results frequently.

EDIT: 12/06/12 20:06L

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Big Stick Joe, Springlake is about 30 minutes from me. I have fished the docks at Bass Lake before. We need to hit up Shearin Harris one day.