Favorite Technique For Targeting Prespawn Bass

[Jmrayrx]

Just wanted to hear others thoughts on how to learn to locate and catch prespawn bass. I've read the articles on "how to", but the reservoir I fish on is pretty shallow. I know where the spawning flats are, but most of the reservoir is pretty flat or gently sloping. Was hoping someone might have a nugget or two of wisdom to share with a guy trying to learn the art of locating bass.

[Catt]

Steps to locating Pre-Spawn bass

Lake Type: reservoir

Depth: pretty shallow? Min-max

Structure: pretty flat & gently sloping

Cover:

Does it have wood?

What kind?

Does it have vegetation?

What kind?

Answer those 5 & we can farther this discussion!

[senko_77]

It sounds like a perfect lake for throwing a lipless crankbait.  Go grab a 3/8 or 1/2, red or orange colored lipless crankbait from any of the manufacturers out there.  I prefer the Spro Aruku Shad or Yo-Zuri Rattl' N Vibe but seriously, anything works.  Work the bait just fast enough so you aren't snagging the bottom and if you hit any piece of cover, give the rod a quick snap backward.  You'll catch numbers and big fish doing this and this technique will work for the next month or so.  Also, if they aren't responding to a lipless crank, try swimming a jig.  Take any jig you have a put a paddle tailed swimbait on the back of it and fish it just like a spinnerbait.  I usually use a 1/4oz or 3/8oz.  

 

Good luck!

[MicahB]

Catt is spot on. But, even without knowing the type of structure that your lake contains, you can learn a lot by looking at a topo map, even if the lake is shallow and/or gentle sloping. There will be some kind of creek bed, even if its a one foot indention, that will follow some path. Follow that creek channel on a map and it will literally point out to you the likely spawning grounds for the big mamas who, by the way, will usually spawn first.

You say you know where the spawning flats are. Well, you need to find the route that these bass are taking to get there. Follow this route all the way to their winter location, and you'll already be ahead of the game compared to most of the locals. Now, depending on the size of your lake, the distance between the spawning grounds and winter haunts can vary. If your lake is small, they may only have to literally move 100 feet to get to their spawning grounds. However, i would guess that if your lake in gradually sloping, the bass would actually spread out more and move in unpredictable spurts AND long distances because, in order to reach spawning areas MORE attractive than their winter haunt, they would have to cover more ground to get get to that "proper depth". That is why finding any creek bed in this lake would be so crucial, especially if it covers a lot of ground. More than likely most of the bass in the lake will use this creek because:
A- it leads shallow fish back to deeper water and vice versa  
B- it is probably used as an "edge" for bass to feed
and 
C- it  likely has spawning beds (and probably the better beds in the lake) right next to it as it runs along the edges of flats since your lake is shallow.

One more thing.....
My local lake is also very shallow. It is swampy, and the grass carp that were introduced years ago have made the bottom muddy and soft. Bass spawn on hard ground. Find the hard bottoms, whether it be rock, near submerged lily pads, or clay.

[Comfortably Numb]

I would start with a suspending Jerkbait. Squarebill or spinnerbait is next choice.

 

Alot depends on water temp as to what stage of presoawn they are in.

[ww2farmer]

Depends on where they are. But the whole tackle box is in play this time of year. From deep cranking.... To topwater on the banks.

[Catt]

Depends on where they are. But the whole tackle box is in play this time of year. From deep cranking.... To topwater on the banks.

Uhh!!! Yelp!

[WRB]

Without knowing the type of laker (reservior) it becomes a guessing game as Catt has pointed out and you don't need to fish blindly with a wide variety of lures during pre spawn/spawn, or any other period.

Answer Catts ?? focus on specific areas with lures that work in the the type of cover and depth the bass should be at.

I would dd prevailing wind direction ( north) and type of dam (earthen) this man made lake has?

Tom