DON’T WASTE EARLY BASS FISHING OPS

By Capt. Bill Schaefer

Most bass fishermen give up on winter or early prespawn fishing because it can be a real test of wills and stamina. It can be cold, rainy and just downright miserable to fish in the winter and spring months, but because the weather in Southern California is so unpredictable, it could also be the most beautiful weather any day.

Winter fishing can slide seamlessly into spring. You should always expect the unexpected and be ready to react with the proper approach for the bass.

LATE WINTER AND EARLY SPRING ARE TOUGH, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THERE AREN’T LESSONS TO LEARN, FISH TO CATCH

TEMPS RISING, FISH BITING

The warmer the weather, the warmer the lake’s water temperatures, and the more active the largemouth will be. We all know that as the waters cool in the winter, the bass become more lethargic and feed less. All it takes is for the water of a lake to start to warm again and the entire bass population will become more active. The largemouth do not have calendars, so no matter the date, the warming waters will trigger their instincts to start their prespawn or even their spawn.

It could very well occur in March –say, we’re having an unusually warm winter – and some lakes’ bass will start to spawn. Males start roaming the banks and females move up to nearby points at the ready for their respective mate.

You could virtually miss the spawn if you don’t start thinking about it early enough. That is why, as I mentioned, most diehard bass fishermen don’t ever stop fishing if they don’t have to.

Do Your Research

If you do not understand the life cycle of largemouth, then you need to read more magazines or online articles like this one, watch videos and visit all the seminars you can. But most of all, get out on the water year-round; that way you can better understand the cycle of your favorite lake. The better you understand where the bass have gone – at any time of the year – the better fisherman you will be.

Those breaking fish you were chasing only a couple months ago will just be hunting the same schooled-up shad or baitfish, but a little deeper. They are not gone; just a little harder to find and fish for. This is where your electronics come in. If you don’t have electronics, then you need to get something. If you are traditionally a rental-boat fisherman, then invest in a portable unit. It is one of the best things you can buy and will make a world of difference.

Remember the life cycle of the largemouth? Different times of year, different depths. If you can’t tell how deep the water is, then you may be fishing where there are no bass.

TROUT TIME = SNACK TIME

Another variable to remember in this transitional time is that most lakes in Southern California plant trout during the cooler months to draw in another group of fishermen. This also bodes well for the largemouth fishermen, because the bass love to treat themselves to these tasty morsels. Invest in some imitation trout lures and you will stand a chance of scoring a giant while biding your time in winter ahead of the prespawn period.

YOUR LAKE, YOUR CHOICE

Where should you bass fish this winter and spring? The answer has to be your favorite lake. For most bass anglers, they usually have a favorite lake where they catch the most fish, know several reliable spots, and just plain feel the most confident to fish. This should be your starting point, because you have confidence and a built-in knowledge of the lake that you can advance on and add to your past experiences.

*At participating dealers only. Qualifying retail customers may receive instant savings off the selling price of a Honda powered boat package or Honda Marine engine(s) sold for repower. This promotion is limited to new Honda Marine BF40-BF115 and BF150 outboard engines, 2018 and newer models, sold and delivered between January 2, 2023 thru March 31, 2023 and registered by April 11, 2023 and in accordance with American Honda Motor Co., Inc.’s sales registration requirements for this promotion. Only Honda Marine outboard engines sold for personal use qualify for this promotion. Fleet, commercial & government sales are ineligible. Engines sold under special pricing/promotions including (but not limited to) demo and tournament fi sherman engines are also excluded. Honda Marine reserves the right to modify, amend, cancel or revoke, in whole or in part, this promotion at any time without prior notice. Always wear a personal fl otation device while boating and read your owner’s manual. All Honda outboards meet EPA and CARB emission levels. © 2023 American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

If your lake closes for the winter –many in the Southland do shut down – then fish right up to the closure and file away in your mind where the lake left off when it closed.

You could also move to one of the other lakes in your area that stays open. There are still bass there to find, and if you spend enough time on the lake, you will discover where you can fish at a time of year when you might be at home watching football instead.

Remember, once you have spent some time experimenting and examining the bass at your favorite lake, then you should be able to plot out an attack on any lake. Timing, water temperature and weather all make a difference, and once mastered, you will see that finding the bass at any lake can be much easier throughout every season.

Lures And Locations

Late winter and springtime can bring a great spinnerbait and crankbait bass bite, though you would think a lake would be too cold in the winter for that, even though the weather is actually mild. But all it takes is a warming trend into spring and the fish go into their prespawn mode. In a lake with a lot of rock cover, those rocky points can help warm the water.

If the water is up at a lake, then brush and rock will litter every shoreline. The fish really gravitate to the brush when water rises and it can be real fun going in after them. Long lake points can hold larger fish, but will hold all sizes in late winter and spring. Drop shot these areas with small worms in crawdad colors.

Start out with spinnerbaits around shoreline brush. Don’t be afraid to throw past and bring it right through the middle of it. Crankbaits will slam fish as well. The bass want crawdads this time of year and you can crank the rocky points with crawdad colors, but remember to work the beaches between them too. Grind that crankbait down till you hit bottom, then go to a slower stop-and-go retrieve, bouncing it off anything down there. It looks just like a crawdad scurrying along the bottom kicking up silt.

Spooning in winter and spring can produce fish, plus trout lures can be effective, since most lakes also stock trout through the colder months.

You can transition into the early prespawn with spinnerbaits and jigs. Carolina-rigged craw-like creatures also do very well this time of year. Flukes or anything shad-like can do well once the prespawn loads the shallows with males searching for nests. Main lake points will hold larger females that need crawdads for nutrients for spawning and will attack jigs in those patterns.

Rainy Days And Tackle Box Trays

If a storm keeps you stuck at home in winter, take that time to prepare your tackle. This is the time to rebuild or clean and oil your reels and load them up with new line, as well as straighten out all your tackle boxes. You know you are as bad as I am – just throwing things into whatever rod locker is closest. Organizing your tackle will make you a more efficient angler.

Prespawn bass fishing success won’t come fast – winter can be a brutal time to fish – but as you start to catch fish when you never thought you would, your confidence will grow with your knowledge. Learn to fish all year and you will be able to take on any lake under any conditions. CS