Where to start... Lets start with the Fish it's self the Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) or as we like to call them Ditch Pickles. The Largemouth is one of the most Sought after fish in The US.
This can make them tricky to catch when dealing with areas that have Heavy fishing pressure. The Bass is a very Hardy fish, they are able to live in just about any body of water and can roam at any Depth. Bass are the Apex Predator in the waters the reside in, Bass will eat just about anything they can fit into their mouth, from Snakes, Fish, Baby Ducks and even Rats. Like stated earlier Bass are heavily fished in the US meaning sometimes the fish are there but will not bite, I've found one simple trick to beat the skunk.
Spring time
is when we start seeing the Water temps climb back up, here in Texas the bass generally start to spawn when the water Temps reaches the 60's ;however, they will spawn in high 50's depending on how cold the winter is and when the first warm front rolls in. During this time the large Females begin to make Beds (Nest) to hatch their eggs, this makes the fish hyper Aggressive due to their offspring. This allows you to be very versatile with how & what you can fish. Bass are Ledge orientated fish meaning they will ride structure, grasslines, banks & drop-off's. Generally speaking I've found it to be best for topwater Early in
the mornings and late in the evenings, this allows for the bass to feel "hidden" in the shadows and leaves a great silhouette of your lure. If you are fishing a heavily targeted area try something Unique like a LunkerHunt Spider or DragonFly. Once the sun peaks upon the water it time to hit the Beds, weightless soft plastics are a must (NOT in heavy Cover, Refer to Texas Rig) in my experiences wacky rigs, lizards, brushhogs & craws have been a lifesaver, fish them slow and just bounce them upon the bottom. This mimics creatures coming onto the beds to indulge in the eggs. The trick to weighless is the right
line and time, I recommend FloroCarbon or MonoFillament as these sink better than braid ;however, it must be fished slow, and you must allow the fish to fully commit before setting the hook. Another great option to covering more water is Weedless Jigs & Chatterbaits, always pair with a trailer.
The extra action a trailer gives you could be the difference in getting skunked and having bass thumb, a good rule of thumb is to match the hatch. Such as use bluegill & Crawfish colors. I've found these tips to be very helpful when in a slump and I hope they work as well for you as they do for me. Now get out there and get you a DD and send us some pictures!
-Carter O'Briant (RST CEO)
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