Early spring bassin

[Mr. Aquarium]

How are you guys fishing early spring in shallow ponds?  Like no more then 10 feet. That’s being generous with the depth. Some places aren’t more then 6 feet.
 Loaded with stumps and weeds.
Water temps in the 40s? 
50s? 
I’m in Massachusetts so I’m talking like early spring.  March when it’s finally starting to warm up.  

[scaleface]

Light jigs , beetle spins and spinnerbaits

[Jar11591]

I target shallow woody cover (or any hard cover) early spring, especially on sunny afternoons. Jigs, T-rigged craws or creatures, wacky rigs or ned rigs. And always a spinnerbait. 

[Bird]

These baits work every year around here in early spring.

Jerkbaits, swimjigs, Spinnerbaits and swimbaits on an underspin.

[LrgmouthShad]

21 minutes ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

How are you guys fishing early spring in shallow ponds?  Like no more then 10 feet. That’s being generous with the depth. Some places aren’t more then 6 feet.
 Loaded with stumps and weeds.
Water temps in the 40s? 
50s? 
I’m in Massachusetts so I’m talking like early spring.  March when it’s finally starting to warm up.  

Very early spring in NY last year was dominated by the spinnerbait. That was weedy ponds 10 foot or less, like you describe, though at times a larger lake that could reach 30 feet was mixed in, as well as a deep reservoir.

 

So far spinnerbait has been on top this year too. I’ve caught a couple that I haven’t posted in the catch pics thread or mentioned. Still waiting on good size fish though.

[Mr. Aquarium]

1 minute ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Very early spring in NY last year was dominated by the spinnerbait. That was weedy ponds 10 foot or less, like you describe, though at times a larger lake that could reach 30 feet was mixed in, as well as a deep reservoir.

 

So far spinnerbait has been on top this year too. I’ve caught a couple that I haven’t posted in the catch pics thread or mentioned. Still waiting on good size fish though.

Awesome! I’m fishing bog ponds.  They do tend to warm up quicker though.  But there’s legit no depth for the fish to fall back to winter over!   

[Deleted account]

JB, spinnerbait, chatter, square bill, swim jig. Once It gets going, I find the spinnerbait gets me a better grade of fish most times, but any of the above might be the ticket any given day. I could hop a jig or soak plastic, but I get a better ROI with moving baits once the fish get a bit active in the late winter, and it just builds from there until the spawn.

[Functional]

I've always had luck with poppers when I lived in NY. Specifically Storm Chug Bugs in Shad color. Jitterbugs in black also worked very well.

 

Smaller squarebills and rapalas were also a main lure tied on around that time. 

[Mr. Aquarium]

So here’s the spot, one of them!  You can see the structure during a drought in one of the maps I used. Google earth when it’s full of water.  You can see all the stumps on those islands!   Plan on targeting a those islands  in the early spring, it’s closer to the “deep water”. I don’t know how deep it is but going off previous experience from here. The 1 time I’ve kayaked it, it’s not deep. I actually never gotten to fish that area  where the deeper water is! 

[WRB]

Using our Calendar term spring means nothing the cold blood bass. 

To bass winter is the cold water period 50 degrees or less.

The water column warms the bass start to change and transition towards pre spawn regardless wherever they are located. 

The deepest or warmest water is where the bass stay to survive the cold water winter period. Often in ponds without a inlet the water supply are springs.

The bass migrate towards spawning areas and stage nearby.

Your 1st task is locate where the bass spawn because that is where they will be as the water warms above 58 degrees.

The islands are good staging areas in this pond and will be good during the post spawn through summer warm water periods. 

Tom

[Bankbeater]

Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, swim jigs, chatterbaits, and maybe a lipless crank if I don't snag it.  I'd position the boat on one side and cast along the edges where it drops off.  

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Yo yoing taps and jigs in the stumps early, gives way to cranks, heavier traps, spinnerbaits and swimjigs.  I fish swimjigs to find lanes where I can throw a crank confidently without hanging it.  Spinnerbaits will work too, but I find that I need a little wind or stain in the water for them to work well.  Chatterbaits work great, but they snag too often on deflection which spooks the bigger fish. T rigged tubes and jigs can work well too, just be mindful that the root systems can be washed out.  If the jig falls into the hole it can be hard to get the out at times.  Look for isolated stumps or lily roots, even on featureless banks.  For whatever reason it seems like the better fish really prefer that isolated cover.