A Guide to the Pre-spawn Stage
-What is the best baits-
- 1. What is Pre-spawn?
- 2. Pre-spawn Bass Movement
- 3. Pre-spawn Fishing Technique & Best Baits
- 3.1. Shallow
- 3.2.Mid-depth
- 3.3 Deep
- 4. Summary
1. What is Pre-spawn?
Spawning refers to the bass spawning period. When winter ends and water temperature start to exceed 50°F, bass begin their spawning-oriented activities. The main spawning period is usually around April to May.
Though all referred to as spawning, there are three phases: "pre-spawn" before spawning, "mid-spawn" during spawning, and "post-spawn" after spawning. It is crucial to develop your fishing tactics according to bass behavior patterns in each phase.
Bass in the pre-spawn period, which we will cover in this article, actively engage in feeding to build up their strength for spawning. It is an excellent time to achieve great results. In Japan, this season is often called the "spring frenzy," a time eagerly awaited by anglers.
2. Pre-spawn Bass Movement
In winter, bass stay still in deep water, but as they enter the pre-spawn period, they start to eat a lot to recover their strength for spawning. Especially during the daytime when the sun is out, shallow water where the water temperature tends to rise becomes their feeding ground.
However, bass do not always stay in shallow water. In early spring, cold weather often returns, and at that time, they retreat to deep water where the water temperature does not drop easily. Therefore, they use the mid-depth adjacent to both shallow and deep water as their base while moving to a comfortable place according to the weather and water temperature at that time.
In other words, the key to pre-spawn fishing is to determine where the bass are in terms of shallow, mid-depth, and deep water, and to consider the state of the bass at that location and time.
Not all bass enter pre-spawn at once. Larger, healthier bass move up to shallow water first to start feeding, so if you start pre-spawn fishing early, you have a higher chance of encountering big bass.
3. Pre-spawn Fishing Technique
From here, we will explain effective fishing techniques for the pre-spawn period. As mentioned earlier, bass during this period do not stay in one place but move around depending on the timing. Let's consider this in terms of three categories: "Shallow", "Mid-depth", and "Deep".
3.1. Shallow
Timing to target shallow water
- On sunny days or time periods when water temperature tends to rise
The spots where the sun hits change depending on the time of day, so instead of blindly chasing shallow water, try to find spots where the water is being warmed.
[1] Wary Bass Holding in Cover
Bass that have just moved up to shallow water are cautious and may not cruise around open shallow areas. Instead, they might stay in weed or fallen branches for a while. At the beginning of the pre-spawn period, it is good to gently pass your bait through shallow cover where bass might be hiding. Bass that have not fully emerged from winter mode are likely to be careful and selective, so rather than exploring aggressively, the key is to explore patiently, changing angles even in the same spot.
The JACKALL D-Bill Shad, a small profiled crankbait that is strong in cover, features a wide, duck-like bill that provides high obstacle avoidance performance and relatively weak action. It combines the quick search performance of a shad-bait with a delicate approach to bass.
In murky water or situations where flashing action is likely to be effective, using a subtler spinnerbait can be a good strategy. The IMAKATSU ZINX Mini Super Blade TG is an excellent spinnerbait that weakens the water pressure while maintaining the pulling sensation that is transmitted to the angler's hand. Adjust the weight according to the retrieval speed.
Also, when the cover is thick and you feel that the above baits are difficult to pass through, the dead slow retrieval of soft swimbait such as JACKALL's Dead Slowler is effective. You can slowly show it to the bass while passing through, so you can carefully approach bass that are still cautious.
[2] Aggressively Feeding Bass
Now, let's cast baits for bass that are actively feeding. If small fish are being eaten at that spot, try using Imakatsu’s & MEGABASS's shallow runner shad-bait. Here we introduce four types: Gekiasa Shad, Gekiasa Flat,and from the IXI series, IXI Furious and IXI SHAD Type-R.
| Table header 0 | Diving depth (ft.) | Optimal Use Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Gekiasa Shad | 1.6 | Pass it just above the line of sight of actively feeding bass. |
| Gekiasa Flat | 1.6 | Greater ability to captivate and draw in bass than the Gekiasa Shad |
| IXI Furious | 1.6 | Trigger strikes with a high-speed retrieve when the bass are hesitant to bite. |
| IXI SHAD Type-R | 2.6 | Bottom Knocker. Best used when the bass are relatively less aggressive. |
First, try reeling in the Gekiasa Shad for bass with a high feeding awareness and an upward line of sight. If you feel that you need more attraction power, switch to the Gekiasa Flat.
Also, when bass have the appetite but somehow don't bite, or when the water clears up and conditions are tough, you can trigger the bass's switch by reeling the IXI Furious at high speed. If you feel that the bass activity has not risen that much, try the IXI SHAD Type-R to aim for a reaction while taking the bottom.
Rain is also common in this season. When the water is muddy, flashing with a spinnerbait can be effective. MEGABASS's SV-3 and JACKALL's Super Dooon are attractive because they are compact in appearance and easy for bass to bite. Use 3/8oz or 1/2oz as a base and adjust as needed.
If you're going for bass with a strong appetite or big bass, a strong action crankbait will be effective. EVERGREEN's X-OVER, which combines the techniques of crankbait and jerkbait, and ZERUCH, which has a somewhat flat body that flickers and pushes water effectively for big bass, are recommended.
3.2.Mid-depth
Timing to target mid-depth
- Time periods when the water temperature has not risen yet
- When the spots to target are not determined
Bass may not move up to shallow water immediately after winter ends, but may have a base at a "secondary point" which is the midpoint between the wintering spot and shallow water. It is even better if there are terrain changes such as around a rock reef.
[1] Aggressively Feeding Bass
Even among the bass floating in the mid-depth, many are waiting for feeding opportunities without coming out to shallow water. For such bass, pass a small fish-like jerkbait while keeping a certain range. Since many bass are not yet fully switched on, rather than putting in a lot of twitches, it is recommended to reel calmly, such as MEGABASS's ONETEN R. The ONETEN R series has a wide range from R+1, 2, 3, covering 5.6 to 13.1 ft, so you can use them according to the field.
[2] Tough Condition Bass
What works in clear water spots or tough spots where bass are cautious is Mid-strolling. Mid-strolling is an ultra-finesse technique where a soft-plastic attached to a jig head is rolled in the mid-depth. Since the movement distance is minimized and the approach can be made from one point without moving, it can make bass bite that did not bite other baits.
For the soft-plastic, we recommend JACKALL's Drift Fry 4.0, which is designed for even beginners to do Mid-strolling. If you want to increase the drawing power a little more, try upsizing to 5.2 inches or EVERGREEN's Last Ace 128S.
3.3 Deep
Timing to target deep water
- When the temperature drops significantly
Target deep spots adjacent to shallow water where bass can immediately escape to, especially places like submerged objects where bass can stay.
[1] Single Point Attack
It is just a temporary escape when it suddenly gets cold, so rather than dispersing widely in the deep, find a single point where they can stay until the water temperature rises and focus on attacking there. What is effective here is the drop-shot-rig. After dropping it to the target, be conscious not to let the soft-plastic float up, shake it at one point, and wait patiently for the bass to bite. For the soft-plastic, KEITECH's Easy Shaker, which maintains a horizontal posture and has a lively, small fish-like appearance, is recommended. If you need a soft-plastic with a little more volume, using JACKALL's Wobbling 2.5 can increase the aggressiveness.
4. Summary
During the pre-spawn period, bass move between "shallow", "mid-depth", and "deep" according to the weather and water temperature of the day, and engage in feeding activities for spawning. Therefore, it was necessary to determine the fishing approach according to the conditions of the day and the spot.
- [Shallow]
- Gently explore around cover: Compact crankbait specialized for cover, spinnerbait if muddy, dead slow retrieval of soft bait
- Targeting Aggressively Feeding Bass: Compact crankbait specialized for shallow, spinnerbait if muddy, heavy crank for big bass - [Mid-depth]
- Quick search with jerkbait
- Mid-strolling if tough - [Deep]
- Single point attack with drop shot
Pre-spawn fishing, where you can also target big bass, is the long-awaited season for anglers who have been facing difficult fishing during winter. Be fully prepared with countermeasures to handle various situations.