Tell Me About Pre Spawn

[everythingthatswims]

As always, pre spawn has kicked off to be a very difficult and frustrating time for me. I am catching plenty of small bass, mostly 12" and under are the only ones willing to eat. Most of the fish I see are in 2FOW or less and are VERY easily spooked. The only thing they will eat is a wacky rigged worm, a senko actually sinks too fast! Many of the fish will mouth the bait and spit it out without really showing much enthusiasm. These are not bedding fish. I saw a fish in the 7-8lb class this morning with her dorsal almost sticking out of the water and she didn't even pay attention to a bait being twitched in front of her nose. Does this stuff happen to anyone else? I always hear about a great pre spawn bite and aggressive fish, I just never see it!

this is what the ones that will eat look like, anything 2lbs or better will either shy away or not commit to a bait, but I am seeing them.

[brgbassmaster]

Prespawn is my fav time of year. I look for the nearest deep water to a spawning area and start chucking a deep crank. My favorite is a strike king 6xd. The females will hold off going shallow and the males will be up first. So if u can get that bait infront of those hingry females out off the first drop they will inhale it. You can drag jigs or texas rigs in those areas also and cacth them after you have nailed the active ones with the deep crank. My main area lately has been a small 10ft wide feeder creek that drops from 6 to 16ft and there are two small rock piles off the deep side of the channel right before it goes to 6ft and if you hit that spot its almost guaranteed to get you bit when it deflects off if it. Now that the spawn is occuring my prespaen areas have died though. So im having trouble gettin bit. Muddy water is hard to find bedders!

[Loochy88]

I've been having a heck of a time this year with the prespawn.  I haven't really had the chance to hit the spots I usually enjoy fishing, but the ponds and rivers I have been able to fish haven't produced much.  I've thrown everything from llipless cranks, chatterbaits, and suspeding jerkbaits, to 1/2 oz jigs , carolina rigged craws and weightless senkos.  Almost no luck.  Crazy frustrated this year, but still enjoying every outing.  

[buzzed bait]

i saw some on sunday on the banks at a local pond, but they would have NOTHING to do with what my buddy and i were tossing.  i mean ran away from the baits nearly.  but then hit the lake wednesday after work and they were biting the spinnerbait pretty good for me and the other guys i talked to.  i think the pond bass were focused on making the beds and getting ready to do their thing and i'm guessing the lake bass were feeding heavy before they go into reproduction mode???  <<<my very uneducated opinion on the matter at least!

EDIT: any idea what the water temps were?

[Airman4754]

I wish we would get to pre-spawn. I went out yesterday. Chocolate milk and 50 degree water. Yuck. 

[Sam]

No. This only happens to you.

No other person in the world has experienced what you have experienced.

OK, seriously, what you are seeing happens all the time all over the world. to everyone, sooner or later.

So what is going on? First, forget the term "prespawn." Think early spring and spring. Base these two times of the year on the water temperature of the body of water you are fishing. Early spring is under 50* while spring is 50* to 75*. The bass will start their spawning rituals when the water temperature hits 60* to 62*, although Catt has seen it begin in the 50's. Use baits for spring.

As you know, when the water temperature hits the level the bass like, the males will make their way from the deep part of the water column to the shallow bedding grounds using structure to get from one place to the other. After they fan an area for their girlfriend the girls move up lay their eggs. During the early spring they will feed like crazy to go through the early spring and spring periods. This is the best time to get your personal best as those fat ladies are feeding to get ready for some fun in the grass.

Unless, of course, you are off kilter with the dogwood trees and the females have already eaten like they have nine rectums and they are no longer thinking of food. They have other things on their mind that are better than food. You will understand this as you get older.

But you know all that. So what do you do in Virginia? You watch the dogwood trees. When the dogwoods are fully bloomed the bass are on their nests. Simple as that. No if's, and's or but's about it. As the dogwood trees' blooms start to form and open the bass will be having good thoughts about the next generation of little green monsters.

Follow the blooms to their final opening and blossom.

Right now in Virginia the blooms have started to open but this cold front and storm will keep them on hold for the rest of this coming week. Does this mean the bass could be on their beds next week when the temperatures warm up and the dogwoods finally bloom? Yes, it does. it also means that if the flowers have not blossomed then the bass are not on their nests. Simple as that.

So forget water temperature; water clarity; early spring; spring; summer; full moon phase, water depth; current; crawfish colors; square bills; homework; your prom; SAT's; SOL's; the next James Bond movie; taking your girlfriend to the Mardi Gras (you missed it); what type of baits to use; flouro or mono; spinning rigs or baitcasters; and the list goes on. Just watch those dogwood trees and fish accordingly based on how their flower buds are progressing.

One last note: you know that a cold front can shut them down. With the warm weather we have been having the bass in our area may be somewhat confused. Check the water temperature and determine where you think they should be in their spawn efforts. Then double check your water temperature with the progression of the dogwood trees.

Let us know what you find out when we get some better weather in your area.

Maybe we can catch up this summer and go fishing. Depends on the dogwood trees! 

Spoiler

 

 

[Jtrout]

Im im central maryland should i watch the dog woods to?

[Bluebasser86]

I don't fish for those ones I can see during prespawn. I look for spawning areas and fish around the first drops and edges that fish will follow up into them once they start spawning. 

[Sam]

7 hours ago, Jtrout said:

Im im central maryland should i watch the dog woods to?

Yep. Definitely.

[everythingthatswims]

16 hours ago, Sam said:

No. This only happens to you.

No other person in the world has experienced what you have experienced.

OK, seriously, what you are seeing happens all the time all over the world. to everyone, sooner or later.

So what is going on? First, forget the term "prespawn." Think early spring and spring. Base these two times of the year on the water temperature of the body of water you are fishing. Early spring is under 50* while spring is 50* to 75*. The bass will start their spawning rituals when the water temperature hits 60* to 62*, although Catt has seen it begin in the 50's. Use baits for spring.

As you know, when the water temperature hits the level the bass like, the males will make their way from the deep part of the water column to the shallow bedding grounds using structure to get from one place to the other. After they fan an area for their girlfriend the girls move up lay their eggs. During the early spring they will feed like crazy to go through the early spring and spring periods. This is the best time to get your personal best as those fat ladies are feeding to get ready for some fun in the grass.

Unless, of course, you are off kilter with the dogwood trees and the females have already eaten like they have nine rectums and they are no longer thinking of food. They have other things on their mind that are better than food. You will understand this as you get older.

But you know all that. So what do you do in Virginia? You watch the dogwood trees. When the dogwoods are fully bloomed the bass are on their nests. Simple as that. No if's, and's or but's about it. As the dogwood trees' blooms start to form and open the bass will be having good thoughts about the next generation of little green monsters.

Follow the blooms to their final opening and blossom.

Right now in Virginia the blooms have started to open but this cold front and storm will keep them on hold for the rest of this coming week. Does this mean the bass could be on their beds next week when the temperatures warm up and the dogwoods finally bloom? Yes, it does. it also means that if the flowers have not blossomed then the bass are not on their nests. Simple as that.

So forget water temperature; water clarity; early spring; spring; summer; full moon phase, water depth; current; crawfish colors; square bills; homework; your prom; SAT's; SOL's; the next James Bond movie; taking your girlfriend to the Mardi Gras (you missed it); what type of baits to use; flouro or mono; spinning rigs or baitcasters; and the list goes on. Just watch those dogwood trees and fish accordingly based on how their flower buds are progressing.

One last note: you know that a cold front can shut them down. With the warm weather we have been having the bass in our area may be somewhat confused. Check the water temperature and determine where you think they should be in their spawn efforts. Then double check your water temperature with the progression of the dogwood trees.

Let us know what you find out when we get some better weather in your area.

Maybe we can catch up this summer and go fishing. Depends on the dogwood trees! 

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Prom? I have a state qualifier on Gaston that day

[ClackerBuzz]

I struggled hard with pre-spawn last year.  this year has been going much better since juggling between 3 fishing styles.

1 regular power fishing.  cold bass still crush fast moving baits. however the window of opportunity seems much smaller this time of year. be quick to pick them up, and quick to put them down.  don't go an hour w/o trying a power lure.  i pay extra special attention to power fishing conditions this time of year b/c i need every edge I can get: clouds, wind/surface chop, rain, and my new favorite, raised water levels i.e. fresh rainwater running into lake.  also i'm more conscious of temps with power fishing this time of year. i'm confident power fishing during stable temps or raising temps.  cooling temps are not my friend anytime of year.

2 slow dragging plastics in 8-15 ft of water.  this is god awful painful and I can only take so much.  but out of the last 5 years this nets my biggest fish.  1-2 minute pauses are common dragging T rigs.   i can only keep this up so long so it's best to identify prime areas first.  i either visit locations i'm familiar with or catch a dink while power fishing and drop a marker buoy to thoroughly slow work the area.

3 small lure power fishing to keep the skunk off me.  I take my crappie/trout rod and fish roadrunners, bettlespins, crappie tubes etc.   this rod catches bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, pickerel, and the occasional bass.   endless chucking/winding power lures and/or slow dragging w/o any success gets me down and this little rod picks me up.  it makes painful cold bass fishing fun again and keeps my spirits high for running into big mama.

finding the right balance between these 3 styles keeps my day smooth and fun.  if it's dead calm and sunny i'll work the crappie rod. but as soon as a cloud passes over or a small breeze picks up the spidey senses kick in and i reach for power rods with enthusiasm.  

are you fishing from bank or off shore?  my biggest mistake last year was fishing from the bank all of spring.  it's very difficult to cast to the majority of fish from the bank this time of year.  last year i was lazy about getting the kayak/jon boat out and i paid the price.  if you're on the bank you really need to be smart about where you fish.  make sure there is deep water near the shoreline.  

like Sam said you're not alone. overcoming these kinds of conditions is what makes good anglers great.

[desmobob]

On March 19, 2016 at 2:40 PM, Mosster47 said:

I wish we would get to pre-spawn. I went out yesterday. Chocolate milk and 50 degree water. Yuck. 

Don't complain too much...  I went out today at noon (it was 17*F in the morning) and the water temp was 39* with water visibility about 6".  :-(      I'm still trying to wash the skunk off me. 

Tight lines,

Bob

[Bankbeater]

Prespawn around here means the weather could change in a blink of an eye.