With apologies to T.S. Eliott, April is a wonderful month for bass anglers as the waste land of winter starts to blossom with fishing possibilities.
With proper planning and adjustments, most people can make April an “all-you-can-catch” buffet.
When water temperatures rise above 62 degrees, serious bass chasers should start considering the possibility that largemouth bass have gone to spawning beds.
I’ve seen these green fish spawn during colder and higher temperatures, but the ritual usually starts at approximately 62 degrees Fahrenheit — earlier that most people believe.
Here’s a clue: If you see pollen on the water, bass probably are on their beds. That’s the time when I focus on protected coves with hard or sand bottoms. Anglers also should always be on the lookout for stumps and other cover.
If I had to list my top-five lures for North Carolina bass waters during April they’d be soft jerkbaits, weightless straight-tail worms (floating and stick worms), tubes, jigs and buzzbaits (hard baits will continue to dominate pre-spawners if it’s still cold).
The oddball lure in my top five to use for spawning bass is the buzzbait, completely different than the rest. I often use an R&S ChatterBuzz or Assassinator to find key spawning areas.
Sometimes bass are aggressive enough to attack these lures, but more often they give away their position with a swirl or boil. The best tactic is to leave, then return to such an area, use a slower lure presentation.
If you get just one swirl at an area, many times there are a lot of fish in the area.
Oddly enough, I’ve done well with buzzbaits at spawning coves before the water temperature gets too warm and fish start spawning (58- to 62-degree water is ideal for a prespawn buzzbait bite).
Once you’re located good areas, if the water is stained, settle down and stay a while as spawn fishing requires a slow and steady approach.
If the water is clear, and you easily can see bass beds in shallow water, speed up and target only the beds. Many people don’t like fishing for bedding bass, but if you’re fishing in April, you’re catching bedding bass whether or not you can see them. Just be sure to let them go immediately.
Culprit brought back its original Jerk Worm this year. This lure is my ace in the hole because it’s subtle and has good side-to-side action. It’s kind of a cross between a Senko-style lure and a Jerk Shad.
But the Jerk Worm is thinner, which allows for much better hook-ups. Just before Culprit took Jerk Worms out of production, I had enough poured for me to last several years. Since then I’ve been catching fish across the country with Culprit Jerk Worms. My favorite colors are green pumpkin and shad.
The lures fish well just dead-sticking or twitching them. I deadstick if I think a bed is nearby, and work the Jerk Worm in a side to side motion if I’m just looking.
It’s deadly fished near shallow stumps. An angler should work it just a few feet, then let it drop near the stump.
I fish the Jerk Worm with bait-casting and spinning gear. Spinning tackle is best at docks and areas with overhanging limbs because the lure is easier to skip across the water.
The final two lures to consider during the spawn are tubes and jigs. If the water is stained or flooded, flipping and pitching these baits is a blast.
I use a Daiwa Flipping stick and fast-retrieve reel, such as a Daiwa Zillion, spooled with 20-pound-test fluorocarbon line.
The key to flipping and pitching is accuracy in presenting lures at the right spots. Bass often spawn right at the base of bushes or stumps. Sometimes they’ll have a bed halfway underneath a log.
It’s critical to get these lures tight to cover and into the strike zone, which are the beds.
April is a fun time to be on the water, and fishing can be fantastic with lots of action. This month gives anglers access to some of the biggest fish of the year as they move shallow to spawn.
Remember to release every bass you catch during the spawn, so anglers who like to chase bass can look forward to continued good fishing.
Dustin Wilks is a 31-year-old professional bass angler and Raleigh native now living in Rocky Mount. He has qualified for the Bassmaster Classic four times and operates Fish Like a Pro Fishing Lessons (252-883-6749, www.fishlikeapro.com ). His sponsors include Assassinator Spinnerbaits, Chatterbuzz, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha, Daiwa, Keelshield and Culprit.
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