Prime months for big bass

[WRB]

While I agree it’s possible to catch a PB bas anytime you are bass fishing the odds increase dramatically during pre spawn.

The reason is the biggest bass in the lake are females and their biological clock pushes them to feed before egg laying during the spawn. Procreation drives these big bass shallower and they loose drive to leave for sanctuary areas becoming grouped up where anglers can catch them.

After the spawn the big females recuperate (post spawn) then scatter becoming harder to locate.

All 5 bass listed in my profile were caught between Jan to March pre spawn females on jigs.

Tom

[Bird]

I've only landed 1 dd bass in many years of fishing and it was a blistering hot August afternoon on a Culprit worm. 

I consistently catch heavier fish in pre-spawn when water temps start climbing into the 50's. 

[Catt]

While certainly do not disagree with Tom's @WRB  assessmasse the problem down here with pre-spawn/spawn is there will be 1,500 boats doing the same thing.

 

During the Dog Days of Summer & the dead of winter the big bass will be located on deepwater structure & I'll have em all to myself.

[A-Jay]

22 minutes ago, Catt said:

During the Dog Days of Summer the big bass will be located on deepwater structure & I'll have em all to myself.

Huge fan of that myself.

A-Jay

 

[WRB]

SoCal bass anglers are fare weather folks and only us crazy anglers fish in bad weather common during prey spawn that keeps boat traffic to a minimum.

Tom

[Mr. Aquarium]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

While I agree it’s possible to catch a PB bas anytime you are bass fishing the odds increase dramatically during pre spawn.

The reason is the biggest bass in the lake are females and their biological clock pushes them to feed before egg laying during the spawn. Procreation drives these big bass shallower and they loose drive to leave for sanctuary areas becoming grouped up where anglers can catch them.

After the spawn the big females recuperate (post spawn) then scatter becoming harder to locate.

All 5 bass listed in my profile were caught between Jan to March pre spawn females on jigs.

Tom

Bingo.  Which is why im

scratching my head about not getting the biggest bass during this time. Only getting them during the warmer months.  But getting numbers during the pre spawn isn’t an issue, the size is the issue 

[WRB]

20 minutes ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Bingo.  Which is why im

scratching my head about not getting the biggest bass during this time. Only getting them during the warmer months.  But getting numbers during the pre spawn isn’t an issue, the size is the issue 

You fish in MA and the lakes may not have a good population of bass over 7 lbs. Where I fish we have or had good populations of bass over 10 lbs that are Florida strain LMB, different bass species.

I focus using 2 lures; jigs and swimbaits during pre spawn (55-58 degree water). Jigs that replicate crawdads and rainbow trout swimbaits. Our crawdad population emerges at that temp and big females are looking for high protein prey. Rainbow trout are stocked when the water temps are 60 degrees o less, the big bass are use to hunting the stocked planted trout during cold water period.

8 years ago trout plants stopped and our giant bass populations crashed as a result. Today any bass over 10 lbs are rare in SoCal lakes.

Set your goals accordingly to the big bass where you fish.

Tom

 

[J Francho]

MA record largemouth is 15-8.  Herring fed bass get big.

 

It was caught through the ice.

[Mr. Aquarium]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

You fish in MA and the lakes may not have a good population of bass over 7 lbs. Where I fish we have or had good populations of bass over 10 lbs that are Florida strain LMB, different bass species.

I focus using 2 lures; jigs and swimbaits during pre spawn (55-58 degree water). Jigs that replicate crawdads and rainbow trout swimbaits. Our crawdad population emerges at that temp and big females are looking for high protein prey. Rainbow trout are stocked when the water temps are 60 degrees o less, the big bass are use to hunting the stocked planted trout during cold water period.

8 years ago trout plants stopped and our giant bass populations crashed as a result. Today any bass over 10 lbs are rare in SoCal lakes.

Set your goals accordingly to the big bass where you fish.

Tom

 

A local just got a 9.9 and 8.1 the  past 3 days. My buddy has 5 8s in the last 4 years. Another guy got an 8.5 last Sunday 

Just now, Mr. Aquarium said:

A local just got a 9.9 and 8.1 the  past 3 days. My buddy has 5 8s in the last 4 years. Another guy got an 8.5 last Sunday 

 

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

MA record largemouth is 15-8.  Herring fed bass get big.

 

It was caught through the ice.

Bingo, I’ve had my heart broken a few times. Watching a monster 8plus no doubt swim up to and look at your bait! 

[WRB]

If the big bass are where you are fishing go catch them!

Tom

[soflabasser]

The prespawn and spawning periods are the best times to catch a big bass in Florida but I have caught them in every month of the year. Go fishing when you can, use proven big bass techniques, put in your time on the water, learn from each fishing trip, and you should be able to catch lots of big bass.

[roadwarrior]

6 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

... best times to catch a big bass in Florida...

I caught my Personal Best on Lake ToHo January 5, 2020. I'm going back next month!

 

[Koz]

My biggest bass have come in March through August but that’s primarily because I don’t fish as much in the other months.

 

I bank fish and I’m not a fan of the colder, windy, and rainy winter days we have down here. Plus, it gets dark early and by the time work ends it’s dark outside. With our abundant gator population I don’t fish at night. Granted, gators are less likely to be active in the colder weather, but they are still around.

 

I also coach baseball and spring practice starts in January and fall practice starts in September and that takes a lot of my free time.

[RoLo]

 

There's no question that world-class heavyweights are the most cold-tolerant fish.

This might explain why world-class red drum hail from North Carolina and not Florida,

why the largest bluefin tuna are caught in Nova Scotia, Canada, and why George Perry's

historic 22-lb 4-oz bass was produced in Georgia rather than Florida or Texas.

 

When I lived in New Jersey (1942 to 1992), the best time-of-year to catch a respectable bass

was April and May (Realistically, a respectable Jersey bass is 3-pounds). Oddly enough, 

the best months in Florida for boating a trophy bass is likewise April & May.

 

How So?

I can only speculate, but it's my belief that you're looking at the superb work

of Mother Nature. In New Jersey I was dealing with northern-strain bass,

but in central Florida (27th parallel) I'm dealing with Florida-strain bass. 

 

Roger

 

 

[king fisher]

When will bass spawn in a lake that never gets below 68 degrees, and never gets above 80 degrees?   Coldest temperature of the year is in March. So far my best luck has been in June, because that is when the water is low and forces the bass to concentrate more.  Water temp. is in the mid 70's then.  Problem is bass on are the thin side at that time.   I would like to fish the lake hard during pre spawn, but no one knows when that is.  I'm assuming it will be in the early spring.

[soflabasser]

On 12/3/2020 at 1:56 PM, Catt said:

 the problem down here with pre-spawn/spawn is there will be 1,500 boats doing the same thing.

 

During the Dog Days of Summer & the dead of winter the big bass will be located on deepwater structure & I'll have em all to myself.

 I have caught lots of big bass in +90 degree weather in the middle of Summer as well. Less people fish in these conditions which makes it more enjoyable. I have had lots people approach me after I catch a big bass but never have I seen one of those bent rod pattern people catch a big bass in front of me. Goes to show you it takes a lot more than just fishing a good spot to be consistent at catching big bass.

[ironbjorn]

It's always been summer for me. I have a feeling the spring and fall prime time for bass thing has to do with the south and the west coast, where their spring and fall might as well be our summer in the north. The frenzy that's talked about in the spring and fall has never applied to me in any body of water. Come June, it through September are absolutely killer. I can expect numbers and size.

[floridalargemouth123]

On 12/1/2020 at 3:02 PM, Captain Phil said:

Here in Florida, the spawn can start right after Christmas.  I caught my 11 1/2 PB in January.  I have caught numerous bass over 10 in the summer.  I have also fished bass on beds in early June.

yea that has happened to me sometimes it pretty cool to see bass spawn all different times

 

also sometimes its hard for me to keep up with spawn because the bass where i live dont have a common spawning time each pond is different

I think the best time is winter because its phanomal for the bass they get really mad with spawning and the cold weather they dont like to chase food and a senko or jig tantalizing them right in their face entices them and they eat, kind of like the cake right sitting on the counter right in your face you want to eat really now.

[TheBasslayer]

I've always caught my most fish from April-July