Help for Next Tourney

[tcain38]

I will be fishing a tourney on April 2nd. The water on the lake right now is about 54-56. If the waether stays right the water should be close to 60. The fish are starting to bite better. They are hitting a crank bait and spinnerbait a little right now. What do you guys thing would be the best way to catch fish. The water is not clear and it is a deep lake, and it is also up just a little bit. I know the smallmouth are not far away for spawning. I just really dont know what I should do. Where should I be fishing on the lake this time of year. The last few time I've fish I have caught fish all over I just can't pin point where I should be. I know the largemouth will start to look for nest places during this time also. Just need some help. Thanks.

[BlackBass19]

Points and any area that links shallow flats with deeper water. Of course shallow and deep are all relative. Fish will be moving from deeper water into the shallows for multiple reasons this time of year. Bass will be looking for food, warm water and spawning beds.

Generally figure out what they are eating and as always follow the forage.

This time of year I like to fish suspending jerkbaits, generally I will fish 2-5' with a suspending X-Rap fished moederately slow with twitching action. This should locate active fish and may trigger inactive fish in the upper level of the water column. Also try lipless crankbaits (Rat L Traps) Yo-Yo style and bouncing a foot or so off the bottom. Make sure you slow down and let and any chasing bass catch up. Bounce, bounce, stop...repeat. Best done on your M or MH bait caster of choice.

Zoom Trick Worms in Watermelon Candy or Junebug rigged weightless Tex-posed on Extra Wide Gap worm hook is deadly during late prespawn/spawn. Fish it like a jerkbait, twitching and letting it sink to the bottom. This is best done on 6# or 8# mono on a spinning outfit. Your water temps should be getting close for this patten to CRUSH EM. Back coves where water enters the main lake and shallow flats should be your target areas. Back creekbeds that transition into shallow flats then deeper points are ideal. The water will be warmer in the shallows and there should be plenty of bait in all sizes.

You can also work the mouth of the same creekbeds with a senko. You should target submerged timber, stumps and other cover between the points created at the mouth of the creekbed. There will be bass often large ones transitioning in and out of these creeks.

Without knowing your fishing style or the actual body of water you will be fishing it is hard to give you the "right gameplan". This is how I would approach any BOW during prespawn, making sure I stick to my strengths.

[Chris]

If it was me I would do a two prong approach. Target staging areas mainly and areas I know bass use to spawn (spending most of my time on the staging area). Your staging areas will have bass moving up to spawn and bass moving back to deeper water after they have spawned which means a consentration of fish. Your first fish to move up to spawn will be your larger fish. By positioning yourself in staging areas if you miss the spawn your still in the right area. Without clear water makes it tough to target beds but if you know where they spawned the year before it makes it a little easier. They may not be in the exact same place but will use the same areas because of location and hard bottom. When I can not see beds because of muddy water depending on activity level and water temp I might target them with a floating balsa jerkbait,(you can slow it more) spinnerbait or topwater to name a few. You may not catch the fish but it will make them show themself to help you target or gage where they are so you can use other lures to catch them. If I have a good idea where they might be spawning I might just flip the area with a jig, tube, or sweetbeaver fishing slow and milking the area. If that didn't work out I would go back to my staging areas checking to see if more fish moved in. Good Luck 

[SDoolittle]

Are you fishing that KBFN tournament at Barren on the 2nd?