JUMP TO A SEASON

SPRING | SUMMER | FALL | WINTER

JUMP TO TECHNIQUE

CRANKBAITS | SWIMBAITS | JERKBAITS | DROPSHOTS

NED RIGS | HAIR JIGS | BLADE BAITS | TUBES

45° to 70°

Spring fishing is kicked off with warming water temps, longer days, more sunlight, and fish starting to become active and feed. This can be a great time of year to catch big fish with moving bait techniques, but keep in mind, fish in early Spring can also be lethargic in the cold waters. As we push further into prespawn and closer to spawn, Spring fishing really fires up and fish become active in shallower water. This is the time of year where you can catch numbers and size.

Spring can be broken down into three different segments - Prespawn, Spawn, and Post Spawn.

Prespawn typically occurs between 45° to 60° and is when the bass are in transition from winter to spring patterns; spread out, moving shallower with warmer days, and feeding heavily. This also includes the period when fish are up on spawning flats looking to make beds.

Spawn typically occurs between 58° and 70° when the bass begin to make beds and mate. Fish during the spawn are extremely vulnerable because they spend this time guarding their beds from predators.

Post Spawn typically occurs when the water is above 65° once the bass are done spawning. This is where bass will begin moving to their summer locations; some fish residing shallow, while others move out towards deeper areas of the lake.

My TOP 5 Lures in the Spring:

Crankbaits | Jerkbaits | Hair Jigs | Ned Rigs | Swimbaits

over 70°

Summer fishing is a time of year where you will tend to notice bass spread out across your lake; both shallow and deep. Bass during the summer, especially the early summer periods, will tend to be feeding heavily with heightened metabolisms and the need to regain mass after the spawn. During the summer, there is a wide variety of lures that can catch fish.

My TOP 5 Lures in the SUMMER:

DROPSHOTS | TUBES | CRANKBAITS | Ned Rigs | Swimbaits

63° to 48°

Fall fishing is a time of transition. Similar to the spring, fish tend to be moving and constantly in new locations following baitfish and forage. This is a time of year where you can pick up reaction techniques to cover water and catch active, aggressive bass. This is also the time of year where fish begin to feed heavily, these water temperatures in the mid 60s to upper 40 degree ranges, tend to be optimal temperatures for bass to feed. Fish also need to put on weight for the winter periods to help them hold weight throughout the long, cold winter ahead.

My approach to fall fishing is two-pronged; I choose to fish reaction lures to cover water to locate active schools and then pick them apart with slower moving techniques to maximize the number of bites that I can get.

My TOP 5 Lures in the FALL:

Crankbaits | Jerkbaits | Swimbaits | TubeS | Blade Baits

below 48°

Winter fishing can be either the most challenging or best times on the water. This is a time of year where the bite is Feast or Famine, either you’re catching bass, or you’re not. During the winter, bass will group up in massive schools where they will spend the remainder of the cold weather months. Bass tend to prefer to find the deepest holes or flats in the lake with nearby access to shallower water, providing feeding opportunities when conditions are right.

During the winter, my approach is very simple; fish lures that hold in the strike zone for long periods of time and imitate the baitfish that the bass are feeding on

My TOP 5 Lures in the WINTER:

Jerkbaits | Blade Baits | Ned Rigs | Swimbaits

Choosing crankbaits is typically based on color, size, action, and sound/vibration. During colder water periods, I want flat sided lures that will have a tighter action, whereas in warmer conditions, crankbaits that tend to have a wider wobble will help attract fish from longer distances.

Color selection stays fairly simple; Match the Hatch; match what the bass are feeding on. In clean water conditions, I prefer natural style colors or colors with a translucent base. Conversely, in dirty water conditions, I choose a color with a brighter/more solid base color like Chartreuse and Reds.

Jerkbaits have become a year-round technique for me, especially with the addition of forward facing sonar. My biggest deciding factors when choosing a jerkbait is diving depth, ability to suspend or sink, and color. During colder months, I want a jerkbait that will get down to deeper water depths and tend to choose a sinking jerkbait. During warmer months, when fish are shallower, I want a bait that I can work more quickly up in the water column.

Color selection is typically determined by weather conditions and water clarity. In clean water, with sunny, clear skies, I choose colors with a more translucent base that are more natural style colors. In clean water, I also try to match the forage as best as I possibly am able. In off-colored water or in overcast conditions, I prefer more solid jerkbait colors; preferring a white base that will silhouette more effectively in the dirty water.

When I refer to “Hair Jigs,” I’m most commonly talking about a small marabou jig. This is a technique that I use predominantly in the spring and late winter. It is a very subtle approach that allows me to trick finicky bass when other baits won’t work.

For size, I’m using 3/32 oz for less than 10 fow, and 1/8 or 3/16 oz for all other situations.

I always have a ned rig tied on now, because it’s a technique that catches fish all year long, in all conditions. This is one of my go-to “cleanup” techniques when I’m trying to maximize bites in an area. It’s also a great technique to get bites when conditions are tough and bass are finicky.

Typically I prefer a 3/16oz ned rig head because I can fish it more quickly and still get bites, but I will downsize when bites are tough to come by.

There are a variety of swimbaits on the market, but these are my favorite soft plastic paddle tail style swimbaits which are extremely versatile. Designed to imitate baitfish, I fish a paddle tail swimbait all year long. I change the color, size, and action dependent on the water temp, water color, and forage type.

In colder water, I choose more flat-sided swimbaits as they have a tighter action, but as water warms or fish become more active, I’ll choose swimbaits with a wider kick.

In dirty water, changing to bolder colors will help the bait stand out and silhouette so fish can get a better look at the bait. I can also change the color to imitate different forage that the bass are keying on.

Dropshots have become a must-have in the warmer months of the year. A dropshot is a phenomenal technique that presents your bait up off of the bottom and can be either presented vertically or cast away from the boat. For me, this technique works better during the late spring through early fall months when bass are active and holding to specific pieces of cover or structure.

Tubes are incredibly versatile and can catch both numbers of smallmouth as well as big fish. Because they are so versatile, by adjusting the color you can make it look like the forage bass are feeding on. A tube from my experience works best in the late prespawn through late fall when bass are aggressive and looking for a big meal. Typically I’ll throw a small tube when the water is cooler and move to a bigger tube in warmer water situations.

1/2oz or 5/8oz blade baits are my go-to in almost all situations. I keep color very simple, silver or gold when fishing around baitfish in clean water and it’s sunny; or white/chartreuse when it’s overcast or in dirty water