Spring strategies

[lovecranking]

It's almost time to start planning for the upcoming season. What do you plan to do the 1st time out this spring? What would be your lure choices, colors and sizes? Then what will be your strategies and what parts of the lake will you be targeting? I would think the best time of day would be to start at noon, what do you think? I'm curious to see what you suggest so I can maybe try a new approach this year. It's always fun to hear new ideas & try them out. So what do you suggest?

[Catt]

Ok here's the scenario

The first thing I look at is weather:

Forecasted weather for Jasper, Texas 02/21/07-02/23/07

Temperatures: Mid 70's during the day & Mid to Upper 40s with some 50s at night

Wind: Light & Variable

Humidity: Scattered Showers & Thunderstorms

Barometer: 29.96 & rising

Sunrise: 6:51 am

Sunset: 6:08 pm

The second thing I look at is the lake conditions:

As of 2/21/2007 7:00 AM the lake level is 169.73 msl with generator #1 currently shut down, generator #2 currently running 24 hours a day, and spillway gates closed. Water temperatures running from upper 40s to mid 50s, North Lake and Mid Lake areas are murky while the South Lake is clear.

The third thing I look at is seasonal patterns:

I'll be fishing the south lake area since this is my stomping grounds and the bass are still in pre-spawn located in water depths of 3 to 9 foot.

The fourth thing I look at is where to launch

Jack's 944 marina has an excellent boat ramp with access into Bull Creek which is perfect for per-spawn since it protected on 3 sides from the weather. I will launch 15 minutes before day light since I will not even have to start the outboard.

The fifth thing is lure selection

Since I'm looking at pre-spawn bass I'll start a white ½ oz Stanley Wedge with double gold willow leaf blades. Other rods will be a Red Chrome Rat-L-Trap, Watermelon/ Neon Stanley Wedge Tail Lizard Texas Rigged with a 3/16 oz bullet weight, Gene Larew 5 Salty Hawg Craw Black/Neon Texas Rigged with a ¼ oz bullet weight, and finally a Oldham's Lures Trailer Hitch Jig, 3/8 oz Black/Blue, Gene Larew Salty Hawg Craws in 6 with 1 ½ cut off the tail

The sixth thing will be areas to target

I main target will be the outside and inside weed lines as well as all available buck brush and button willows. I'll work the creek channel since it zigzags back and forth from one side of the cove to the other. I work all boat slips that lead up to boat docks and boat sheds. Next I'll work my way to back of Bull Creek and slowly work the flats along the creek channel. Finally I'll work my way back to the front of Bull Creek targeting any areas where I caught fish.

[roadwarrior]

Wow!

Catt,

That's the kind of detail a fella just doesn't expect everyday. Great post!

Do you think that is the line-up for lures we should be using next month at Fork, too? What about jerkbaits?

[jcbass1]

If it's your first time out for the year, you're gonna be searching, because you won't know what pattern the fish are on.  Some lakes they'll be shallow, others they won't, etc.

I'd start with sun up, throwing a buzzbait.  Not only because it's a fantastic search tool, but also just 'cause I love to throw 'em!  Once you find a fish or two, slow down and work the area again with jigs, jerks, or T-rigged soft plastics, depending on what they'll hit.  That'll be up to you to determine while out there.

You'll probably change tactics several times during the day also, because as the sun comes up and warms the water it'll move the fish.  Just keep searching 'till you find them, then slow down and fish them hard.

Anyway, that's how I'd start!   ;D  Oh, and if you catch a few first thing with that buzzbait, don't stop fishing it 'till they quit bittin' it!

-J

[BucketmouthAngler13]

No offense to anyone, but the reason I fish is so I can get AWAY from math. LOL

My Spring stratagy is the same as my Summer and Fall strategies: Catch more fish!

[L-Train]

First outing planned for this Saturday (when I get off work   ) and Sunday.  I look at current weather and Water temp.  I primarily fish Millwood Lake (SW Arkansas).  Water temp. in upriver oxbows is running about 3-5 degrees warmer, so i will be up there probably most of saturday afternoon.  Weather this week is cooperating...so far.  Highs in mid 70' all week will hopefully get the prespawn rolling.  My setup will look a lot like Catt's, but I will also be throwing a crawfish colored storm wiggle wart quite a bit.   what can I say... i'm a cranker.    

[jahill]

What do you guys think about throwing that buzz so early in the season?   I have tourney Sunday and have a 70 degree pattern for this week.  My partner has been laughing at me when I tell him I am considering a buzz bait.  You guys think it is worth a laugh or worth a try?

[WABass]

Heres how I will be rigged up for my first trip, where i fish the water will be muddy from runoff. one pole will have a black/blue-black/chart jig-n-pig, one will have a chart/white spinnerbait, one will have a 5inch junebug senko, and one will have a LC chart shad pointer on it, after that I like a 8inch black-red flake lizard, and a rattle trap or wiggle wart.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

What do you guys think about throwing that buzz so early in the season? I have tourney Sunday and have a 70 degree pattern for this week. My partner has been laughing at me when I tell him I am considering a buzz bait. You guys think it is worth a laugh or worth a try?

Go for it. You cant say something will or wont work until you prove it.

Wayne

[jcbass1]

What do you guys think about throwing that buzz so early in the season? I have tourney Sunday and have a 70 degree pattern for this week. My partner has been laughing at me when I tell him I am considering a buzz bait. You guys think it is worth a laugh or worth a try?

THROW IT!!!  Preferably a 1/2 oz.; black if the water is dirty, white otherwise.  Run it just fast enough it stays on top.

-J

[Catt]

RW if I were going to Fork in March that is the baits I'd be throwing

Yes I didn't mention an Original RB1200 Smithwick Rattlin' Rogue, Gold, Black Back, and Orange Belly.

Never be afraid of throwing buzz bait any time  

[HPBB]

Well, up here in Pa. the water is still hard, its 25 degree and snowing, but first spring outing is a month away. My first tournament is March 24, Ice should be off and water in the 40's range. Hopefully high 40's.

START TIME: would be first safe light. So morning here we come.

LURES: 1/8oz black/blue & black/red Bass Stalker jig & pigs and 3 & 4 inch T-rigged  tubes 1/8-1/4oz weights

AREA: I will be targeting lawdowns on steeper banks near or in deep water on the north side of the lake  down to 20 feet

Second Tournament will be April 1. water still in the 40's maybe low 50's

START TIME: again start at first safe light

LURES: at that Lake I'll be using the same lures If heavy current weights will increase, and add in a War eagle screaming eagle spinnerbaits & Manns Baby 1-.

AREA: I will be targeting the main creek that comes into the lake hitting any and all wood that will be breaking current. Once the sun comes out(maybe) and the water warms alittle I hit the shallow flats with the spinnerbaits and baby 1-

most water shallower than 7 feet, the flats less than 3 feet

If it snows at either tournament, I will throw a Buzzbait and/or Spinnerbait while it snows. If its a white out the buzz will be flying

[SPEEDBEAD.]

If it snows at either tournament, I will throw a Buzzbait and/or Spinnerbait while it snows. If its a white out the buzz will be flying

Is that because of the pressure falling so quickly when it is snowing, making the fish more active?

Wayne

[jcbass1]

Sort of...

It's been my experience that whenever there is ANY weather hitting the water, the buzzbait will produce awesomely.  Any kind of rain, sleet, snow, etc. hitting the surface will instantly turn the buzz bite on, at least around here.

I don't know if it's the noise, the pressure, or a combination of things, I just know it works!!!

-J

[Cravin]

I kind use a pattern every time, buzz bait? heck ya. I throw one almost everytime I go, sometimes I even throw a Pop R topwater after that to slow down the presentation.

Then i like a jerk bait or slow roll a small spinner  to cover the water and locate fish.

Next if I have any luck locating, I go to soft baits. I have alot of confidence in fishing carolina and flukes.

Location

I start at points, coves, and any type of cover. humps in open water, drop offs and grassy areas are usually second on my list of todos.

sure the lake determines how you fish, but most will let me fish this pattern and allow me to zero in on what speed and presentation they seem to want. right after I figure all that out they change pattern and I'm  stuck again! at that point I throw everything in the tackle box at them.  

[Troutfisher]

What do you guys think about a half-frozen lake, surface area approximately 5 acres with water temp around 30-35 degrees and air temperature around 50 degrees?  That's the scenario I'm dealing with.  

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Trout...

Do the letters S O L mean anything to ya?  LOL  

[bassboy1]

A question with working with a buzzer.  I am taking my first trip of the year tomorrow.  How would I search with the buzzer?  Would I work around the perimeter of the lake with it until I find fish?  In the past, I have only caught fish on buzzers when I know the fish are there.

[Troutfisher]

Trout...

Do the letters S O L mean anything to ya? LOL

S-O-L?  :-?

[RoLo]

S-O-L? :-?

Actually it's SOOL (does that help?)

Spring is a long and schizophrenic season.

During "very early" spring the Suspending Jerkbait can be uniquely productive.

In contrast, "late" spring is that magic time of year when ALL lures seems to work

(surface, mid-water & bottom lures). I can hardly wait

Roger

[Troutfisher]

SOOL?  :-? (I can't help it...I'm not hip to your crazy young lingo  ;D)

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Starts with S, ends with T and has HI in the middle....Out of Luck.

There ya go old timer....

Wayne

[Troutfisher]

Thanks, sonny.  

[HPBB]

If it snows at either tournament, I will throw a Buzzbait and/or Spinnerbaits while it snows. If its a white out the buzz will be flying

Is that because of the pressure falling so quickly when it is snowing, making the fish more active?

Wayne

Wayne, not sure if its the pressure falling, but everytime I have been fishing when it was snowing the fish seem to hit faster moving lures better. I have caught a lot of fish when its snowing. Now the whiteout question. I have fished it three whiteouts, where you couldn't see 5 feet. 2 at Raystown and one at the Yough. During the first one I just tried a Buzzbait because I remembered reading a story that Rick Clunn would fish a Buzzbait in a snow storm. tried it and caught several nice SM. So the next 2 time I was out and it was a whiteout conditions I remember the first one. Started throwing a buzz bait and caught nice SM both times

[bassboy1]

A question with working with a buzzer.  I am taking my first trip of the year tomorrow.  How would I search with the buzzer?  Would I work around the perimeter of the lake with it until I find fish?  In the past, I have only caught fish on buzzers when I know the fish are there.

Anyone?  I am leaving early tomorrow and would like to know how I should use a search bait.  Never dawned on me to do it before and now is a good time to start.