Finding Pre Spawn Largemouth, Dissecting a Lake Map

[BrianMRetter]

I've read a lot of articles here and on various other websites that say to search for pre-spawn bass in the northwest coves & bays of lakes/reservoirs, because the NW generally warms first and these areas are protected from cold winds coming out of the north. Does this mean to ignore the other coves and bays that may be on the south or east? I know from reading that it's also important to find structure running from deep to shallow. I've got maps of a few lakes I plan to fish this spring, and I like having somewhat of a gameplan before I ever hit the water.

[Catt]

All the bass will not swim to the northwest coves & bays!

 

[WRB]

NW areas may warm up a little faster in some lakes if the spawn water is located there.

Don't let the NW thing confuse you, study the map locate spawning coves, then look for water close by that has deep structure with potential to hold good quantities of whatever prey the bass can feed on. Prey source trumps everything else, prey near spawning area can be located anywhere, if it happens to be the NW start there.

Tom

 

[CJ]

First thing I would do is consider all the elements you are dealing with on the water you will be fishing. As WRB mentioned, prey type is important, especially "preferred bait". Where I fish, I have different classes of fish. Some schools of fish may be out on the main lake on shell beds eating little drum while other big fish are feeding on big gizzard shad in the backs of the bays. Water color, bottom contour, structure types (feature radical ledges and points? or soup bowl like? little bit of everything?),available cover, etc. We really can't be exactly sure of fish location at all times of prespawn but we can make educated guesses. What you can do is eliminate what you read by studying what you are up against personally. Then look into the articles that may relate to your water and be able to be more descriptive when you discuss it. Not very many things are written in stone when it comes to bass fishing. 

[papajoe222]

"I know from reading that it's also important to find structure running from deep to shallow."

This is an important factor regardless of the season. The structures you need to focus on are the ones leading to spawning sites.  Not all shallow flats are spawning sites. Some have the wrong bottom content, or some other condition. If you are unfamiliar with the lake, I'd attempt to acquire that information first. In some clear lakes I fish, the bigger females are found spawning in water 6-8ft. deep. Knowing that and having fished them during pre-spawn, I can eliminate some of the areas on the topo map that appear to be prime spawning areas.

[tbone1993]

In pre-spawn you have to understand that bass are moving to those coves. They might not be in those coves yet. Currently you want to start fishing main lake to secondary points leading back into those coves. Follow contour lines back into those coves, look for spots where they are really tight and fish can swim from shallow to deep rather quickly.  Also looks for changes in rocks. Chunk rock to gravel is a great pre-spawn spot to hit with a jerk bait.  Instead of focusing on NW coves focus on those that you have caught spawning bass in before. The conditions are right in those areas so you should find fish headed back that way.  Remember that once fish head up shallow they don't just run back to their deep summer haunts. They either hold super tight to cover or pull off to feed / they suspend and annoy the hell out of me. 

[WRB]

Brain, I see are located in central IN and your PB bass are young adults 2-3 lbs.

Lets see if we can up that for you to 4 to 6 lbs by targeting bigger female pre spawners.

If you post the lake map, with or without a name, we can suggest some high percentage locations for you and possibly suggest a few lures and presentations that should work for you.

Tom

[BrianMRetter]

Thats alot of good information! I really do appreciate it. This is the map of Lake Summit Reservoir in Indiana. Not sure why Navionics has two bridges listed, there are none (maybe submerged). According to the "Sportsman Connection Indiana Fishing Map Guide", there are no gizzard shad. It states that the bass feed on yellow perch and bluegill.

[Catt]

See the areas marked with bass, crappie, bluegil, catfish, & walleye?

Search the coves in those immediate areas.

[Paul Roberts]

Very little stands alone. It's all very contextual. Such info as "NW corners can heat earliest" (receiving incident sun while it's still low i the sky in early spring) might be helpful, might not, depending on the layout of the lake, or the particular cove for that matter.

More important to understand is that deep water (a relative thing) provides primary winter habitat and spawning habitat is primarily in shallow protected (from wind and current mostly, and temperature stable) areas. The early spring -the transition- is all about the trip between.

What kind of water clarity does it tend to have? How far can you see down?

 

[WRB]

The yellow bars are bridges and the dam is on the west end and prevailing wind direction is west to east or up lake over the dam?

The major point near the boat luanch that touches the bridge with bass & walleye noted is what to look for, the coves should be wind protected, the point will be good year around. From the boat launch the point very near to the south and coves looks good also.

The first N-S bridge is connected to a island, that area looks good and bass-crappie cove.

The second bridge running N-S connects to a point on the N, both small coves look OK, the larger S point has more features to hold big bass, the dam end looking good, the cove and point to the east also looks OK.

All the points look good for jig, worm and swim baits.

The upper end is where the majority of the spawning occurs, not necessarily the biggest bass in the lake.

Tom

PS, this lake has walleye and crappie, both are minnow eaters, the bass will target the same minnows and young of the year bass, crappie, perch, walleyes, bluegill, carp or anything in the 3" to 6" length size.

[CJ]

I like the dam end of this lake. I would bet some fish will spawn on the shallow flats around the islands if the bottom is right. I really like the long narrow point or gravel bar if the depth was right for prespawn. I like where the water drops off deep right off the shore (probably the only place I would get near the bank on this lake in prespawn) by the dam and I would be looking at the bends in the channels that run back into the bays.

[scaleface]

I would find the points and fish from there up into the nearest coves . 

[BrianMRetter]

Thanks again for all the replies!

9 hours ago, Paul Roberts said:

What kind of water clarity does it tend to have? How far can you see down?

 

This is a relatively clear lake for the area. I'm estimating 6ft visibility maybe.

[Paul Roberts]

Water clarity (long term) can clue you in to how deep bass will live. Low clarity can keep fish in the top 10 or 15 fow, allowing you to exclude a bunch of water. Sounds like your fish are free to spend time deeper -depending of course on thermoclines, prey types, cover availability, and whether or not there is a strong population of larger predators or competitors out there.

In general, think deep and steep for winter habitat, and shallow and flat (and protected) for spawning habitat. Find areas where the two are nearby and you are making a good bet. Lastly, substrate type is key for spawning areas -hard bottoms like cobble, gravel, hard pan (sometimes beneath a shallow layer of muck they can sweep away). Bass show "site fidelity" meaning they return annually to the same areas, even the same individual beds. Areas that have the elements to produce successful year classes, get revisited and populations build. Those are the spawning areas you want to know about.

[Catt]

16 hours ago, Catt said:

See the areas marked with bass, crappie, bluegil, catfish, & walleye?

Search the coves in those immediate areas.

Look @ those marked areas & what do you see?

Deep water with access to shallow!

[JDH85]

Small world...I grew up fishing that lake. I went for a little nostalgia when I was back up in IN around September. The upper end was completely weed-choked! I always remembered it being weedy, but this was another level. Wind was blowing crazy that day so I was only on the water for a couple hours. We used to slay the crappie and perch in my dad's aluminum v-hull there.

[Paul Roberts]

That much vegetation in the upper is not surprising, given that the surrounding land is mostly agricultural and runoff likely adds a lot of nutrients. So... it's likely mostly an outer weedline lake. And weeds will factor in to winter habitat too in places. Both bluegills and perch will live out there.

Then there is the lower end, with depth, perch and walleyes, (and if clarity holds) indicating possibly a deeper (mesotrophic) coolwater fishery too. However, if agricultural runoff is substantial, there is most likely an oxygen deficit below the thermocline -probably so. Twenty-five feet may be "the bottom" for much of the year. That will change with turnover and wintering fish could potentially go deeper.

The upper lake probably winters bass too. They would be weed oriented -nice to throw some rock or wood in if available. 

Let us know what you discover.

[WRB]

I just noticed a 2nd boat ramp near the 2 NS bridge at the upper 1/3rd of the lake on the S shore.

Catt is absolutely right, it takes him 1 sentence, me 4 paragraphs.

Tom

[BigSkyBasser]

I'm in a similar pickle Brian. I also happen to be new to breaking down lakes, this made harder being a co angler without the freedom to explore the lake as I please

My task at hand is trying to break down Lake Mead, NV. It's been overwhelming to say the least

The hardest part being the lack of reliable articles on this lake. Though this thread did remind me of the Navionics map for this waterway which is by far the best around.

 

[Manigotapee]

Here are a few areas I would look. I have never seen this lake and like others stated, there are several other factors at play when looking for pre spawn fish such as bottom composition, brush piles, baitfish, bank angle (steepness), etc. I would pay attention to all factors in these areas. If I was starting I would look at the spot shown with the north cove and what appears to be steep banks on both sides leading into a good protected spawning cove.  Again, I have never seen the lake, just trying to help you figure it out.  Good luck!

[WRB]

If you want to know where big bass live look at the dam area, the 2 islands both having saddle funnel zones, the point from the islands runs down to the main channel and has a flat. All those are where the big bass in this lake live.

Tom