How To Fish For Post Spawn Bass

[zenyoungkoh]

I am new to bass fishing. I just learned how to catch spawning bass and is quite successful at it. However The pond im fishing at, in southern california, has reached its post spawn stage currently... temp now go from 70-85.... About a week ago there were plenty of bass spawning... and Today i went out there and saw some pumpkinseed sunfish breeding. but anyway, today temp were 85, i threw grubs/worms/craw/swimbait. all in 3-4" range, but NOTHING bit. I even swam a grub in front of a little 11" bass,and NO reaction. so the question is HOW would you fish a 3-4' deep pond thats 1 acre big. Most Bass are from 9"-12" Temperature are 70-85. What color should the lure be? What retrieve would work?

[Getfished]

Try something slow on top.

[Bluebasser86]

The first couple days after most of the fish pull of beds is usually really tough. My favorite post spawn bait is a wacky rigged senko. Even fish in the post spawn funk seem to have a hard time passing it up.

[zenyoungkoh]

Its been more than a couple of days since they pulled out of their beds. I reckoned its been a week or so. First bedding bass appeared about a month ago. Today, only saw 1 bedding bass. I caught it but it slipped out of my hands when i was washing the dirt away from its body for a picture lol

[RoLo]

Rather than suggesting any lures or tactics, it might be more helpful if I tried to shed some light

on the seasonal periods. Typically there's a brief period of tough fishing immediately

after the spawn. But predicting the length of that doldrum is not feasible because of the generous overlap in the three subseasons (pre-spawn - spawn - post-spawn)

In any case, the slow period is soon followed by fast fishing with small bass,

they're the same buck bass you were catching during the pre-spawn before the cows arrived.

By the late post-spawn period, the old cows will have recouped their strength and

regained their appetites. Though it's not flauanted very much, the action with sow bass

during the "late" post-spawn is very similar to prespawn action. but of course without the roe.

You're in Calfornia somewhat above my latitude.

If you’re dealing with Florida-strain bass and not northern-strain bass, your water temps are not too high. Right now in central Florida we have 80 to 82-deg water temps. The bass here have yet to reach their late post-spawn peak (they're peaking right now in Okeechobee to the south).

Roger

[zenyoungkoh]

i believe its early post spawn already. Thanks for the infos on the spring season. However what i need is lures options and retrieve tactics for slower early post spawn period. Btw the bass were also harassing the bedding sunfish but not eating them

[RoLo]

i believe its early post spawn already. Thanks for the infos on the spring season. However what i need is lures options and retrieve tactics for slower early post spawn period. Btw the bass were also harassing the bedding sunfish but not eating them

Yeah, I know what you're looking for, but you're really the guy in the best position.

It all revolves around finding the most effective depth & speed "Of-The-Day" through trial & error.

The lure is just a tool for providing different depths, speeds & actions.

If you asked KVD the same quiestion, he'd likely shrug his shoulders and tell you

that he needs a couple hours on the lake. When KVD fished a tourney here in Florida,

he changed his depth and speed in one day, probably more often that you and I would

in a week (man's a machine gun)

Roger

[WRB]

Go fish West lake or Sherwood for a few weeks, then try your pond.

Soft plastic flukes in baby bass color rigged weedless and jerk very slowly along the weed edges should work all summer at the pond or a jointed J13 perch floating Rapala.

Tom

[slonezp]

Look for the fry. There will be a male guarding them. A fluke os senko in their immediate area will almost guarantee a fish.

[zenyoungkoh]

how do i tell males from females? btw sherwood and westlake is a private lake so its kinda hard to fish there. sherwood and westlake is most probably still is spawning season though.

[slonezp]

The females leave after the spawn and the males guard the fry. Immediately post spawn the females will have the appearance of an empty belly.

[Jigfishn10]

My 2 cents:

Reservoirs:

After the females do their deed in the back of the tributary arms, they will garvitate towards weedy and wood cover and then toward the tributary mouth. They'll use primary and secondary points for a pit stop (rest period) before heading on to their summer haunts which could be humps, ledges or deep points.

Natural Lakes:

After the females do their deed on gravel flats or shallow sand, they will be found near rocks, stumps, some type of vegetation or under docks. they would then move to the next signifcacant dropoff which could be a weedline, channel or some type of ambush opportunity. Finally to the deep waters.

[zenyoungkoh]

thanks everyone! Is there a problem w the lures im throwing though

[RoLo]

thanks everyone! Is there a problem w the lures im throwing though

For someone who says he's new to bass fishing, your choice of lures is excellent.

Ironically, if you ask 10 anglers what lures to use, you will get 10 answers. Okay, let's make it eleven.

We're now out of the winter season, so I personally would favor the "plastic worm"

I don't know why, but no matter what bass are feeding on, they have trouble passing up a worm..

Conveniently, there are worms for every occasion: Cranking-& Gliding (sickle-tail worm),

Vertical Delivery (stick worm), Weed Punching (paddle-tail worm), Bottom Dragging (shaky worm), etc.

Roger

[Paul Roberts]

I just haven't seen the 'doldrums' so many talk about. I find LMs pretty willing feeders after the spawn -they're hungry. My guess is the mains issues are our own expectations following the ease of spawn fishing, and the various stages bass populations are in following, making it tough to put together a pattern:

Some males are guarding fry, others have moved out, while some small males are still trying to entice females. Some females are still hanging around bedding areas, others are hunting in the shallows, others are en route to summer quarters. Males remain aggressive for quite some time and Ralph Manns has wondered if females actively avoid them, once done with the game.

In general, females are tired but hungry. It seems they are more particular about what they consider a "catchable" target. I've done best with tubes and jigs fished on a slow swim, and falls. Jigworms and Wacky'd worms too, again fished slow.

Post-spawn female that was hanging around a guarding male that wouldn't let her near. Sight fishing can tell you a lot about what's going on -why we don't catch them all. It isn't easy to make artificial food look real, and catchable. She would not chase so I had to drop and swim the tube just ahead of her. Too far ahead and no go. Too much vegetation to "kill" the bait, the swim too fast for her to commit. She took a plastic craw but I missed and then she avoided it. I finally got her with a perfectly timed fall and swim. Now I could see her. Imagine doing this blind, just working a shoreline!

So early in post-spawn I strain spawning banks by slow swimming tubes and jigs. It does work.

One pattern that sets up here that is consistently good is bass targeting spawning bluegills. A colony of 'gills always has a group of bass hanging around -whether you can see them or not. Look for bigger 'gills and there WILL be bigger females hanging close, looking for an in. I've seen this with smallies too, but they are more aggressive about targets, bolting into the colonies and raising havoc. Pretty cool to see. I sneak in and alternate a tube and jig, casting low with quiet entry, trying to extract as many bass as I can before I put them down. Great fun.

You can see two bass in this image, cruising just outside the colony, but there were about 6 more there too. The bigger female LM's cruise less, often holding close beneath or next to a piece of cover. They are stingy with their energy.

Also, I look for bluegills feeding. About postspawn is when the damselflies begin to emerge in newly developing weed beds. Bluegills really get on them and the bass get on those preoccupied 'gills. I know the 'gills are on the damsels bc I can hear them feeding, making those kissing, smacking sounds in the vegetation. If you watch you'll see larger wakes, boils, and surges. Swim a weedless jig, T-rigged creature, SB, or fish a Spook at the edges.

Hmmmm...I guess that's what comes off the top of my head for post-spawn here. Hope it helps.

[Paul Roberts]

I just haven't seen the post-spawn 'doldrums' so many talk about. I find LMs pretty willing feeders after the spawn -they're hungry. My guess is the main issues are our own expectations following the ease of pre-spawn and spawn fishing, and the various stages bass populations are in following, making it tough to put together a pattern:

Some males are guarding fry, others have moved out, while some small males are still trying to entice females. Some females are still hanging around bedding areas, others are hunting in the shallows, others are en route to summer quarters. Males remain aggressive for quite some time and Ralph Manns has wondered if females actively avoid them, once done with the game.

In general, early in post-spawn, females are tired but hungry. It seems they are more particular about what they consider a "catchable" target. I've done best with tubes and jigs fished on a slow swim, and falls. Jigworms and wacky'd worms too.

Here's a pic of a post-spawn female that was hanging around a guarding male that wouldn't let her near. Sight fishing can tell you a lot about what's going on -why we don't catch them all. It isn't easy to make artificial food look real, and catchable. She would not chase so I had to drop and swim the tube just ahead of her. Too far ahead and no go. Too much vegetation to "kill" the bait, the swim too fast for her to commit. She took a plastic craw-tube but I missed and then she avoided it. I finally got her on a standard tube with a perfectly timed fall and swim. Now I could see her. Imagine doing this blind, just working a shoreline! We miss a lot of potentially catchable fish.

So early in post-spawn I strain spawning banks by slow swimming tubes and jigs. It does work.

One pattern that sets up here that is consistently good is bass targeting spawning bluegills. A colony of 'gills always has a group of bass hanging around -whether you can see them or not. Look for bigger 'gills and there WILL be bigger females hanging close, looking for an in. I've seen this with smallies too, but they are more aggressive about targets, bolting into the colonies and raising havoc. Pretty cool to see. With either LM or SM they will make some commotion, and you can see or hear it. If I keep hearing a surge somewhere on the pond I'm trained enough now to have the predator alarm go off in my head. I'm there! I sneak in and alternate a tube and jig, casting low with quiet entry, trying to extract as many bass as I can before I put them down. Great fun.

You can see two bass in this image, cruising just outside the colony, but there were about 6 more there too. The bigger female LM's cruise less, often holding close and beneath, or next to, a piece of cover; They are stingy with their energy.

Also, I look for bluegills feeding. About postspawn is when the damselflies begin to emerge in newly developing weed beds. Bluegills really get on them and the bass get on those preoccupied 'gills. I know the 'gills are on the damsels bc I can hear them feeding, making those kissing, smacking sounds in the vegetation. If you watch you'll see larger wakes, boils, and surges. Swim a weedless jig, T-rigged creature, SB, or fish a Spook at the edges.

Hmmmm...I guess that's what comes off the top of my head for post-spawn here. Hope it helps, in general if not particulars.

[Chris]

I was about to post the same thing lol. One of my post spawn tactics is to wacky rig a senko and fish around the bluegill beds. You can use other lures but location is what is important. Other bass will move to staging areas as they move towards summer time patterns. Bass will hang out on the bluegill beds because other smaller bluegills and other egg eating creatures tend to come out of the woodwork to play havoc on the beds and the bass find food easy. If the bass are large enough the spawning fish could be food or the fry.

[zenyoungkoh]

Thanks guys. im feeling more confident now lol, i'll go out and fish tomorow.

[Catt]

If you know where the beds are simply reverse engines & follow the break lines back out to summer time structure.

[Bassin18]

Try a spinnerbait, a square bill crankbait, and a Jig

[zenyoungkoh]

should i fish them fast? stop-go? or slow steady retrieve?

[justin apfel]

Try something slow on top.

Try a spook perhaps?

[RoLo]

Earlier in this thread, I suggested that if you ask 10 anglers what lures to use,

you will likely get 10 different answers. Hmm, it looks like we’ve met our quota:

1 Slow on top

2 Wacky rigged senko

3 Soft plastic flukes in baby bass

4 Jointed J13 perch floating Rapala

5 Plastic worms

6 Jigworms and Wacky'd worms

7 Weedless jig, T-rigged creature, SB or fish a Spook

8 Senko

9 Spinnerbait, a square bill crankbait, and a Jig

10 Try a spook

Roger

[zenyoungkoh]

LOL true but slow on top doesnt work for worms, jigs, senko

[Catt]

Earlier in this thread, I suggested that if you ask 10 anglers what lures to use,

you will likely get 10 different answers. Hmm, it looks like we’ve met our quota:

1 Slow on top

2 Wacky rigged senko

3 Soft plastic flukes in baby bass

4 Jointed J13 perch floating Rapala

5 Plastic worms

6 Jigworms and Wacky'd worms

7 Weedless jig, T-rigged creature, SB or fish a Spook

8 Senko

9 Spinnerbait, a square bill crankbait, and a Jig

10 Try a spook

Roger

You forgot one Roger! Yours & mine! Where not what