Top 3 PRE-SPAWN techniques 2024
FCPhil reply :
Been thinking about fishing the prespawn once the ice melts where I am at. The prespawn has always been a difficult season for me. What are people’s top 3 lures/presentations for the prespawn and how do you fish them during the pre-spawn?
CroakHunter reply :
Spinnerbait, jig, jerkbaits. I like throwing the first 2 near wood or deep structure. Havent had a lot of experience with a jerkbaits but the few iltrips ive thrown them the results have been good.
FCPhil reply :
On 2/6/2019 at 12:56 AM, CroakHunter said:Spinnerbait, jig, jerkbaits. I like throwing the first 2 near wood or deep structure. Havent had a lot of experience with a jerkbaits but the few iltrips ive thrown them the results have been good.
How do you retrieve the spinnerbaits for prespawn?
A-Jay reply :
Early spring – I’m looking in the N section of the lake first – want the sun on it – perhaps dark(er) bottom color to absorb the sunlight and warm up faster. Doesn’t necessarily need to be a colored bottom but the smallies I'm usually hunting, stick out like a sore thumb over sand sometimes so the colored bottom seems to help with that.
Locations, could be the E side or the W – but S is the Last place I’m going. Any ‘inlets’ – or little creeks could influence my choice – fish like to hang out in front of them early.
Jerkbaits & Crankbaits - worked deep to shallow.
Small Swimbait - crawled on the bottom - worked deep to shallow
Jigs - Including Hair - worked deep to shallow.
Did I mention I like to work from deep to shallow ?
A-Jay
WRB reply :
Jigs, worms and swimbaits where I fish.
Bass are moving up from deeper water towards spawning areas and feeding.
You need to focus on deeper water areas near spawning areas known as staging where abundant prey is available. The bass are moving so you need to present lures at all angles uphill, paralell and downhill until you find them grouped up.
As A-Jay mentioned spring up (uphill).
Tom
CroakHunter reply :
Early pre-spawn I will cast it out along structure (road beds, drops, points, humps) and retrieve it just fast enough where the blades turn but can still remain in contact with the bottom. The closer we get to spawn the shallower and faster I will go with spinnerbaits. Tossing them around wood or grasslines has produced well for me in the past. I always use a 3.5-5 inch trailer and prefer silver or white double willow. 1/2 ounce.
Bankbeater reply :
Lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, and crankbaits is what I start out with. Usually where I fish the bass want something moving.
keagbassr reply :
For me it's jig, chatterbait, spinnerbait w/single colorado blade. As for retrieve I'm just up shallow around any cover I can find wood weeds etc.just cast and winding.
nascar2428 reply :
Don't under estimate the ned rig for pre spawn. Here in Michigan I caught them in February, March and April on that. Drop offs near flats with some sort of rocks on the north end of the lake late in the afternoon(highest temp of the day)
NHBull reply :
Jerks, CB, hair jigs, spinners......usually in that order
Dorado reply :
1) Squarebills/Chatterbaits (tied)
2) Ned Rig
3) Grubs either on darterheads or underspins
On 2/6/2019 at 1:23 AM, nascar2428 said:Don't under estimate the ned rig for pre spawn. Here in Michigan I caught them in February, March and April on that. Drop offs near flats with some sort of rocks on the north end of the lake late in the afternoon(highest temp of the day)
This^^^. Here way far south, in Arizona, they definitely work like magic here too during those times
Scott F reply :
1. Jerkbaits
2. Jerkbaits
3. Jerkbaits
rod snapper reply :
i will use jerkbaits as searchbaits, and wacky riged senkos once i find some bass. but you really cant go wrong with just jerkbaits. jigs arent bad either.
Harold Scoggins reply :
Fish them along the approaches to the spawning beds.
FCPhil reply :
On 2/6/2019 at 1:17 AM, Bankbeater said:Lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, and crankbaits is what I start out with. Usually where I fish the bass want something moving.
On 2/6/2019 at 8:15 AM, Harold Scoggins said:Fish them along the approaches to the spawning beds.
Surprised so many recommendations of moving baits. I’ll have to try them more this spring. Do you try to fish them pretty slow for the prespawn or do you still fish them at a pretty standard pace?
TOXIC reply :
On 2/6/2019 at 1:25 PM, FCPhil said:
Surprised so many recommendations of moving baits. I’ll have to try them more this spring. Do you try to fish them pretty slow for the prespawn or do you still fish them at a pretty standard pace?
Moving baits work because as has been said, the bass are feeding up before their spawn. Although they are feeding, the water is still chilly in most places and that slows their metabolism down and you need to slow your presentation down as much as possible. That's why you hear so many say that the pause inbetween jerks on a jerkbait may need to be painfully long.
Catt reply :
Down south it's Redneck Bubba Bass Fishing!
Big rods, big line, big fish ????
Texas Rigs, Jig-n-Craw, Spinnerbaits, & Traps!
scaleface reply :
Spinnerbaits , crankbaits ,Texas rigs .
LonnieP reply :
Texas rigs, jigs,lipless cranks,flat sided cranks,spinnerbaits.
roadwarrior reply :
Alabama Rig, T-rigged and jerkbaits
FCPhil reply :
On 2/6/2019 at 8:09 PM, TOXIC said:Moving baits work because as has been said, the bass are feeding up before their spawn. Although they are feeding, the water is still chilly in most places and that slows their metabolism down and you need to slow your presentation down as much as possible. That's why you hear so many say that the pause inbetween jerks on a jerkbait may need to be painfully long.
When you talk about really long pauses with a jerkbait, how do you make sure you don’t miss strikes during the pause, just watching the line?
I always feel like I’m going to be missing strikes but maybe I just need to commit to the longer pauses.
TOXIC reply :
No set answer. The fish will tell you how long to pause, you just need to pay attention to what you were doing. It also depends on what type of jerkbait you are throwing, floating, suspending or sinking.
NorthernBasser reply :
On 2/11/2019 at 4:08 AM, TOXIC said:No set answer.
Pretty much. If you notice, pretty much every presentation that's used all year round (minus topwater) has been mentioned in this thread.
greentrout reply :
1. floating worm 2. 1/4 oz. spinnerbait 3. storm chug bug
good fishing ....
mheichelbech reply :
In Midwest lakes, what temps do you see the bass moving up from deep water to mid-depths to shallow, e.g, from 20 feet to 10 and from 10 to 5 or less?
WRB reply :
Lake Conroe MLF/BPT event should give everyone some pre spawn lure choice to use.
Tom
primetime reply :
I use alot of the same stuff all year long....For Pre-Spawn, if I can get a topwater bite...I say you cant beat a prop bait, let it sit, barely move the blades, and bass will crush it any time of year...Torpedo, XRAP Prop etc...
I probably use a lipless crank to cover water more times than not, then pitch soft plastics. A senko will work all year any time any way....
I change colors in pre spawn, like some orange and reds, so with a spinnerbait I use orange skirts, chartruese, Red traps, but then again, key is finding where the fish are located, if they are moving up, moved back out to isolated structure, find the big females and you can have a good day.
A Jig will always get the job done. If only one lure, hard to beat a Jig imo.
If they are moving up shallow, never hurts to throw the original Rapala as either a topwater or jerkbait, doesn't have to be suspending. If Deep, then I would go with what you have confidence in. If not comfortable throwing a deep diving crankbait, then nothing wrong with a carolina rig, Jighead and swimbait, or Jigging a trap.
Just try and find the fish that are active and have a good mix of females moving up, not just males that may be in the shallows. Good news, if you can find males shallow fanning beds etc....Then the females are not far away. Find first breakline or weeds offshore is a good place to start. Pitch a plastic worm or any soft bait you like and go from there.
If you find em, you will catch em.
stratoliner92 reply :
Jigs on main lake points near coves or creek mouths where fish might stage before going to spawning areas
riverat reply :
On 2/6/2019 at 8:48 PM, Catt said:Down south it's Redneck Bubba Bass Fishing!
Big rods, big line, big fish ????
Texas Rigs, Jig-n-Craw, Spinnerbaits, & Traps!
x2
TotalNoob reply :
On 2/10/2019 at 12:08 AM, FCPhil said:When you talk about really long pauses with a jerkbait, how do you make sure you don’t miss strikes during the pause, just watching the line?
I always feel like I’m going to be missing strikes but maybe I just need to commit to the longer pauses.
All I can contribute to this discussion is the following (regarding jerkbaits):
I'm often fishing for walleye in the dark south of you (here in CO) and jerkbaits are the premier presentation I put my effort into learning last year. They truly catch everything.
Jerkbaiting for walleyes in the dark, watching the line simply isn't an option. Sounds lame but you truly just have to "feel" the bite. It typically is not a big "thud". Your jerking cadence will bring them up to it and if they hit it it's almost always on the pause. So put extra attention into your senses on the pause. Try closing your eyes on the pause if line-watching is a strong habit you have (or practicing in the dark).
Equipment will help you feel the bite better. In my mind, braid has to be your main line. I run a fluoro leader off braid, some folks prefer a mono leader because mono won't have any impact on the suspension of the jerkbait. I like fluoro for the additional sensitivity and abrasion resistance. Either way, that braid provides second-to-none sensitivity and I won't throw jerks without it. Braid also assists in getting better hooksets if the fish strikes further out.
A sensitive M/F rod (choose your length, I prefer something no longer than 6'10") should do the trick.
Jerkbaits have caught the majority of my biggest fish (multi-species) and really shine in Spring and then again in Fall, all the way down to 40° water. There can be a fairly substantial learning curve on them (testing suspension at home, etc) but the payoff is worth it. A must-have presentation for any serious angler IMO.
papajoe222 reply :
If you're talking immediately after ice-out, you're talking early,early pre-spawn. Although some fish may move shallow after a two or three day warming trend, most will still hang around their winter locations. My go to is a hair jig, a small tube on a C-rig and a suspending crank that I'll give long pauses to once it reaches its running depth. If you can get a jerkbait down there, all the better.
ChrisD46 reply :
Adding narrow body cranks to the list ...
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