Obviously you have to tailor your style and technique to the bass area and the time of year, but if you can do that then there is no reason why you cannot experience good catch rates all year round.
However, you need to know what techniques to use at the various times of the year and the early spring phase is as good a time to start with as any.
There are definite fishing techniques and methods that should be applied to early spring fishing because it is in the pre-spawn phase. As such, the bass are often at their most active but also their most stresses. This can send your catch rate either way. It can actually be extremely frustrating because you are not guaranteed to have huge hauls.
Instead, you actually have to work for it. If you do though, you will find that the bass are at their largest and most impressive.
The one thing you should remember when fishing for bass in the early spring is that you do have to be prepared to try out several techniques from day to day because there is no uniform behaviour that bass conform to at this time of year. As such, you do have to be patient and extremely versatile in your fishing technique. It is not a trip for those that are stuck in their ways.
The first tip that you should take on board is to fish to the weather. If it is warm and the sun is shining then the fishing should be fast. However, if it is a cold day then they will return to their winter behaviour of settling deep in the body of water as well as under the cover of vegetation and in rocky banks.
Tasting the water temperature will help you to tailor your techniques to the day because bass are cold blooded. Their blood will cool or rise to match the water temperature and this determines whether they are active or extremely sluggish from day to day.
It is also important to remember that the temperatures will rise and drop throughout the day so it is important to be extremely aware of your surroundings and the weather conditions throughout your bass fishing sessions.
The golden rule of bass fishing in early spring is to match the temperatures of the water. If the water is warm then you should fish quickly to encourage the bass to bite.
Casting your line in the same place twice is essential but moving it within ten or fifteen minutes is always a good idea if you have yet to catch anything by that point.
Fishing in the top water is also a great tip if the action is good. However, if the weather is cold then fish deep and be sure to settle your line in one place for a while.
It has been a long hard winter and one of the most anticipated events in the spring is wetting a line on open water. While ice fishing is fun and productive, there is nothing like being out in the boat after taking a few months off. What really adds to the open water fishing experience is the thrill of catching slab crappies.
There are many fishermen who wait in the spring for the crappies to move in to spawn. Don't get me wrong; if you find crappies on their spawning beds, the fishing can be fantastic! But why wait to the spawn when you can have your cake and eat it too. Crappie fishing right after ice out can be equally rewarding.
The water temperature right after ice out will be very frigid. After a few bright warm sunny days the lakes ecosystem will start to come alive. Many crappies in the early spring will be found deep. These deep water spots typically will be the last spots the ice fisherman were having success. By using light jigs and minnows in these deep-water spots, chances are you will have good success. But if you really want to find fast action think shallow water.
As the water starts warming up, the insects will start hatching and small baitfish will move closer to shore. When that happens the crappies will move in right behind the food to feed. The best thing about early season crappie fishing is that the best times of the day to be out is during the peak of late afternoon and early evening when the weather is the nicest. Every lake is different, but the best early season lakes are the more shallow and muddy bottom lakes because they tend to warm up quicker.
If the lake has a small bay or channel the crappies will be drawn in there like magnets. Fallen trees, sticks brush and last years weeds will attract more insects that are hatching that the crappies will feed upon. This combination will become your "A" fishing spot. The water temperature that typically stars this early season action is about 50 degrees. There are many fishermen who incorrectly think the crappies at this time are coming in to spawn. They are simply coming in to feed at this time. Crappies will move in to spawn a little later in the spring when the water temperature is about 65 degrees.
There are many fishermen that will use a jig and minnow. They will catch fish, but if you really want the fast action switch your presentation to a tube jig. The best depths typically here are about 6 feet or less. When you rig you tube jig, place a small bobber a foot and a half up from the jig. Cast and retrieve it slow. The bobber basically simply keeps your jig at the same depth. In detecting the bite, crappies will often grab your jig and swim side to side or the bobber will tip up and then move slowly down. The tube jig body is plastic so give the crappie a little time to suck it down. The best thing about the tube jig is that if you miss you will often get another bite right away. When using minnows for bait, you miss your done.
Once the crappies move in, the action can get very fast. This spring crappie pattern usually lasts a few weeks. After that the crappies move slightly deeper staging for the spawn and then move back in. So why wait for the crappies to spawn? You waited all winter. Early spring crappie fishing is a real bonus. Have Fun!
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