What should I use to fish for bass in the spring on a pond/lake at a forest preserve. Its not that big?

Question

It always has dark murky water, what shout I use to catch largemouth bass. In the spring and summer. It has a lot of bluegill, thats all the baitfish that i have seen. Look at the link maybe that will help it shows the depths and structures. Plz help


http://pages.ripco.net/~jwn/bode.html

also this lake

http://pages.ripco.net/~jwn/picker.html

Answer 1

beat this BASS FISHERMAN!!!!!!

Six strategies for a good day's fishing

(1) Largemouth Bass like plastic worms. Purchase a variety of colours from clear to bright and in varying shades. If fish don't seem to be biting on one colour then switch for something lighter, and if they're still not biting, go for a worm darker than your original. Generally, it depends on the water colour, time of day and temperature.

(2) Largemouth Bass like man-made or natural structure so look for them around jetty pylons, treefall and rock formations. They also like lots of weed so keep your eye out for a variety of spots.

(3) Largemouth Bass like baitfish. Herons like baitfish too. Look out for flocks of birds diving. Quite often where you find one you'll find the other.

(4) Largemouth Bass like it quiet. Fish in areas away from frenzied activity or at dawn before activities begin. Be aware though that some activity can be a bonus as the wake from passing boats can wash out the baitfish from their hiding places in the rocks and, therefore, attract the bass.

Bass fishing success is ultimately determined by where you fish and the care that is taken in the presentation of the bait or lure. Bass have a very strong affinity for submerged structures for hiding cover and home ranges. The term "bass structure," which was coined within the last two decades, includes all of the physical features in a body of water which attract bass. Structures that bass most frequently utilize can be broken into five basic types. One of the most important is an abrupt change in bottom and shoreline contours. This type of structure includes steep-sloping shorelines, drop-offs, flooded creek channels, prominent land points, sunken islands, and just about any variation in the shoreline or bottom. Exactly what constitutes bottom and shoreline structure often varies from one water to another. Some lakes have numerous points, drop-offs, and others sudden changes in bottom contours, while others are generally dish-shaped and featureless. In lakes having an abundance of structure, the more time spent fishing these prominent features the more chance you will have for catching bass. On the other hand, in lakes that have a lack of bottom and shoreline structure the bass will inhabit locations where minor changes in the bottom contours occur. An abrupt 2-foot change in the bottom shape in an otherwise featureless lake will often be heavily utilized by bass.

Rock armoring or natural deposits, another type of structure, is also frequented by bass. Rock rip-rap that is placed along the face of the dam, on shoreline jetties, and land points to prevent wave erosion provide cover that often attracts and holds bass. Few Iowa lakes have natural rock outcroppings along the shoreline, but in those that do bass are often found in great numbers. Bass frequently utilize submerged wood -- trees, stumps and brush -- the typical bass structure in man-made lakes and reservoirs.

Vegetation

An alternate structure type often inhabited by largemouths is aquatic vegetation. Nearly every bass fisherman has experienced the thrill of easing a lure off a lily pad into the water and had a bass immediately grab it. Many species of pondweeds, water lilies, coontail, elodea, cattails, and bulrushes provide excellent cover for bass. The amount and type of vegetation fluctuates greatly, and bass use of these structures also varies. Frequently fishing the edges and pockets in vegetation beds will let the angler know when bass are found in this habitat.

Man-made structures, such as tire reefs, stake beds, brush piles, boat docks, and boathouses are also used by bass for home ranges. Fisheries managers often add structures made from these devices to fishing water with limited natural structure. Other man-made structures, such as boat docks and boathouses, have concentrations of largemouth bass and should never escape the attention of a bass angler.

Most often combinations of submerged structure types found in the same location produce the best catches of bass. Examples of these super bass spots are demonstrated in the following illustration. Pay particular attention to any location that has an abundance of diverse underwater structure.

Some bass structures will be visible and obvious -- shoreline points, rock rip-rap along the dam face, lily pads in a shallow bay, and wood stickups that indicate submerged trees or brush. Many structure types, however, are not so easily visible. Two items are valuable to the bass angler in locating "invisible" structure. The simplest aid is a bathymetric map of the lake bottom. Contour maps are available for nearly every Iowa lake and reservoir, and these maps will allow you to easily identify and locate drop-offs, submerged islands, flooded creek channels, submerged road beds and ditches. A more sophisticated device for locating structure is an electronic depth sounder, often called a fish-finder. These precision instruments serve several purposes. First, they are very helpful in pin-pointing structure location identified on coutour maps. Second, a depth sounder enables you to identify submerged beds of vegetation, trees, tire reefs, and stake beds. Sophisticated models, graph recorders and video sonar, will also allow you to locate bass with astonishing accuracy after some experience in interpreting images. The depth sounder is particularly helpful for fishing unfamiliar waters and especially if contour maps are unavailable.


Spring Fishing

Bass fishermen that frequently catch stringers full of fish are invariably very knowledgeable in the behavioral habits of bass during different seasons of the year and the relationship of these activities with bass location. Water temperature is undoubtedly the most important indicator of bass location and activity since it is more reliable than a calender due to seasonal weather variations from one year to the next. Catching bass at a particular location during late May one year will not necessarily assure you of success at the same time and location the following year. Thus, a thermometer is also one of the most important tools that a bass angler should possess.

Shortly after ice-out the water temperature is 38 to 40 degrees F. you can expect the melt to occur from mid-March to early April. From ice-out until the water warms to about 55 degrees F, largemouth stay in deep water habitats. Look for submerged structure in deeper water, such as sunken islands, deep land points, and flooded creek channels. Deep water structures close to spawning areas are especially productive. Flowing water entering a lake is another prime location during this period. These incoming creek or tile flows are usually warmer, perhaps only a few degrees, than the lake temperature, but they attract many fish species. Bass are often "schooled" at this time; therefore, concentrate your effort in places that have produced bass.


Fishing Around the Spawn

The next fishing period is called the pre-spawn, and it commences when the water temperature ranges from 55 to 62 degrees F. This is the time that bass fishermen wait for patiently. Bass move into the shallow waters, actively feed, and are particularly vulnerable to angling. Towards the end of the pre-spawn every bass in a body of water will be in the shallows and foraging. Catching bass is astonishingly easy at this time, and the odds of hooking a lunker is best since most trophy bass are females laden with eggs in the pre-spawn. Simply fish the structure along the shoreline -- any object that offers protective cover for bass.

Following this period, in the actual spawning season, fishing success drops off quickly. Male bass begin selecting and constructing nest sites when the water temperature reaches 60 degrees F. Bass are solitary, reclusive spawners, so don't expect to catch several at one locaton; individual nests are usually at least 35 feet apart. The females approach the nest only to engage in the act of spawning. Males are extraordinarily busy during this period, guarding the nest from all intruders and keeping the eggs free of silt. They guard the nest for a 10- to 14-day period while the eggs incubate and hatch. Males continue to protect the larvae for an additional 3 to 4 weeks as the fry feed on plankton in shallow waters. The male does not forage during this entire spawn and post-spawn period; however, they still are vulnerable to angling mainly because they protect the territory from all intruders, including lures or natural baits.

Female bass are quite inactive for about two weeks after spawning, during which time they feed very little. Following this recuperation period until summer arrives females utilize the same shallow water habitats occupied during the later portion of the pre-spawn period. The summer period has usually arrived by the time males have completed their parental protection activity.


Summer Fishing

Summer is the most difficult and challenging period for bass fishing. This period, when the surface water temperature exceeds 75 degrees F, begins in late June or early July and extends into late August or early September. Bass continue foraging during the warmest water period, but they become increasingly more difficult to locate. Most bass avoid water that exceeds 80 degrees F and seek locations that range from 77 to 80 degrees F. Along with temperature, dissolved oxygen is a major factor in determining where bass are found during summer. Many Iowa lakes stratify at depths ranging from 6 to 20 feet, and below the stratification level there is no oxygen or fish. During this summer period bass move into shallow water near shore during the early morning, late evening, and night-time to feed. Temperature and light condition is least stressful during these hours. Largemouths are sight feeders, and they forage much more during low light and darkness than many anglers believe. Shaded water areas can be real bass hotspots in summer.

Largemouth bass forage most actively during twilight, dusk, and darkness during summer. Thus, major bass fishing efforts should coincide with these times. The best fishing strategy starts in shallow waters by fishing structures that are located near deep water which also contains structure. Bass that are loafing and resting in deep water during the day will move into the nearest shallow water structure that has food available during these periods of low-light intensity. Rip-rap along the dam, pockets and edges of aquatic vegetation beds, and other shoreline structure, all located in close proximity to deep water, will hold bass that are actively feeding and apt to take a bait or lure. If the lake you plan to fish has thermal stratification, it will be necessary to determine the depth of the thermocline. This can be accomplished in several ways, but the easiest is to consult local experts or use a minimum-maximum recording thermometer. Fish these areas in deeper waters during full light conditions. On lakes that do not stratify, fish the deeper water structures during daylight.


Fall Fishing

Locating bass after mid-September, when the water cools below 70 degrees F, is much more simple. By this time the bass have moved back into shallow water structures. Generally, the same shallow water structure areas that were productive in pre-spawn will also contain fish in autumn. As fall progresses and water temperature cools to the low to mid-50's, bass will again return to deep water habitats. Below 50 degrees F bass feeding is greatly reduced, and they become lethargic. The growing season for bass in Iowa has ended. Angling for bass will produce the occasional fish; however, consistent catches are now more difficult.


Ice Fishing


As winter approaches and the lakes freeze, most bass anglers hang up their traditional fishing equipment. During the ice-cover period, the warmest water is always located in the deepest part of the lake, and this is where bass are found and spend the majority of their time. Movement and activity are diminshed, but occasionally bass will take forage or bait. Most of the bass caught through the ice are taken on small spoons, minnows, and tear-drop lures baited with insect larvae.

Other popular live baits for crappie, particularly during the ice fishing season, include a large assortment of insect larvae. Waxworms, mousies, mealworms, and silver wigglers all work well when placed on a small teardrop lure. Some ice fishermen prefer to use cut bait, flesh from the belly or the cheek patch of another fish. Cut bait can be fished either on a small hook or tipped on a jigging spoon.


Tackle Selection


The choice of fishing tackle and accessory equipment for bass fishing is largely up to individual fisherman. Nearly every type of gear available in any tackle shop is capable of catching and landing bass. For sure, the equipment that is enjoying the most popularity today is bait-casting, spin-casting and spinning. There are advantages as well as disadvantages to all types of fishing gear -- there is probably no single all-around tackle. Most importantly, the gear should be comfortable to use, and you must be proficient in its use. The finest in bass fishing tackle will not ensure success if it is used in a haphazard way.


Bait Selection


More advice on the premium bait for largemouth bass fishing probably has been given since man began angling than any other subject. Virtually every written article or conversation on bass fishing sooner or later addresses the question -- "What are they biting on?" Nearly every bait or lure has probably caught bass at one time or another. Bass, like most fish, are opportunistic foragers and prey upon the most abundant and vulnerable food. Fish, crayfish, large aquatic and terrestrial insects, frogs, worms, and even small mammals and birds all have been found in bass stomachs.

When using natural food items for bait in bass fishing, the fisherman should determine that the bait should be continually active and move. Largemouth bass rarely scavenge dead food items from the bottom like some fishes. Nightcrawlers are not an abundant natural food, but bass will take them readily during all fishing periods. The best suggestion is to use only enough weight on the line to sink the crawler to the bottom, then move it with very slow and easy jerks. Crayfish, live minnows, and frogs can be fished in a similar manner, preferably near structure and cover, again slow, constant movement is the key to success.


Lure Selection


The vast majority of bass fishermen, as well as everywhere else, use some sort of artificial lure to catch "Mr. Bigmouth." Lures come in such a wide variety of types, sizes, colors, and patterns that the novice bass fishermen must be completely bewildered when first visiting a tackle shop or sporting goods store. Most lures closely imitate natural food items, except several models which are totally unlike anything found in our aquatic environment. The main point is probably all bass lures will catch fish provided they are used in the proper manner in the correct habitat. For most fishermen it is unimportant exactly what lure is cast; the paramount things are location and presentation. If you have confidence in a certain lure -- use it.

Manufacturers and fishermen classify bass lures by the depth at which they are most effectively used -- top-water, mid-water and deep-running. Top-water lures include poppers, hair-bugs, surface plugs and buzz-baits. Obviously, these lures work only when the bass are located in shallow water. To expect a fish to take a surface lure from 20 feet is simply expecting too much. Best catches are usually made by fishing top-water lures close to structures, such as weed beds, brush, tree tops, land points, and rip-rap in water five feet or less in depth.

The mid-water lures are designed to fish in the water column, especially for bass that are suspended. Some run close to the water surface, some at mid-depth, and others dive sharply into the deeper depths. The major classes of mid-water lures include spinner-baits, minnow-plugs, crank-baits, spoons, wet-flies and streamers. True spinner-baits are most effective in shallow water because they imitate swimming or injured minnows. Wet flies and streams fished with a fly rod are also good lure for the shallows. Minnow plugs and crank-baits are equipped with a depressor lip that causes the lure to dive during the retrieve. Some models float on the surface when at rest, while others sink. The sinking models can be used at nearly all depths by merely counting down the sinking action to the desired level. Crank-bait lures work particularly well around rock ledges and sunken trees. Spoons are extremely versatile for bass fishing and can be fished at almost any depth and retrieval speed. The weedless models tipped with a pork rind strip or minnow for additional appeal are best for fishing weed beds and lily pads.

Some bass anglers concentrate their fishing efforts around deep structure in summer with jigging-spoons that are fished just off the bottom. These lures can also be dressed with pork rind or soft-bodied attractors. Other deep water lures include lead-heads, plastic worms, and many other varieties of soft-bodied lures that resemble natural food items. They are usually most effective when fished during activity periods when the bass are located in the deeper parts of a lake, near land points, drop-offs, and flooded creek channels. The choice of fishing these lures with or without dressing it with a minnow or other bait is variable -- both ways work about equally well.

Lure color and pattern is probably more confusing than lure type to most fishermen. A visit to any tackle shop will show you lures of every imaginable color and pattern. Modern technology has produced soft bodied lures in several flavors as well. The question most frequently asked is, "What is the best color lure for bass?" Research has shown conclusively that under laboratory conditions bass prefer red, and they can distinguish it from most other colors. There are two suggestions for color and pattern are: if one color does not produce fish, try another; and in clear water use bright colored lures and in turbid water use darker colors.

With increased popularity of bass fishing has come the rapid development of accessory equipment, all designed to give an edge to the fisherman. Boats have been created specifically for the bass fisherman, electronic fish finders are commonly used to scan the depths and locate fish, sophisticated probes for measuring optimum water quality to pin-point bass location have been produced. Lure color can now be selected from an instrument that measures light conditions and water clarity. Are these necessary to be a successful bass fisherman? The answer is "of course not"; knowledge of fish habits is still the most important factor, and always will be, but these gadgets certainly add to fishing comfort and convenience. Personal choice is the rule in this case.




(5) Largemouth Bass like deep water and shallow. Keep a variety of deep-diving lures and surface lures in the tacklebox depending on time of day, currents and water temperature.

(6) Largemouth Bass like it cool. Fish early in the day if possible. If the sun is high, aim for shaded areas.

To catch a Largemouth Bass Light tackle with fast-retrieving lures is usually the best, and remember, once the fish is landed, the best method of preparation for cooking is to ice immediately

Answer 2

Keep it simple. Do the simple rig two hooks on a worm from a single eye swivel. Make sure the hook barbs are buried in the flesh of the worm.

Its more important where. Look for a channel of a current from a stream coming into the lake. If it gets hot. Bass like to congregate to stay cool.

For that reason if fishing from shore I would tend to go to the holes on the map with a very good casting rod. Bass like to go around rock ledges and like to be able to go deep to cool off.

Going by the map if you got a paddle boat I'd churn over to the 23'foot hole along the drop in the shoreline about 10 minutes before the sun came up. Yes this is an early morning exercise. The early fisherman gets the fish.

Then I'd drop the line straight down near that shoreline. in different spots. Remember the bass sniff and take it without much ado. Keep your finger on the line coming out of the reel very lightly that way you can feel a light strike. Then a quick flip of the wrist up will set the hook.

Be careful though that the lake might have a prohibition on live bait since it is a conservation area.

Answer 3

I would use a bluegill color crankbait, something that runs shallow (1-3 feet). Bandit makes one that runs this shallow. Also, try a plastic jerkbait without a weight (like a Zoom Fluke).

In early spring, fish the north side first. It faces south and will warm up first. Is that a creek that feeds into the north pond? If so, fish near that too.

I haven't fished a forest preserve pond in 37 years! Brings back good memories. Good luck.

Answer 4

Many times fishing in early spring time is pretty difficult but can be done, my best bet is using spinnerbaits. I've learned that quality is a must in this categorie all spinnerbaits purchased should be at least $5 or more. Remember to look for willowleaf blades, they are the deepest running of all. When fishing them, reel in slow than stop for a while maybe 5 to 10 seconds. Fish during this time are quite lazy. Good luck.

Answer 5

depends on your geographical location. water temp plays an important role in bass fishing. it's best to get shallow running lures, medium depth lures, and deep diving lures. try slow medium and fast retrieves. do this until you find what works best. then stick with it and beat the hell out of those bass all over the pond.

Answer 6

I would natural baits for the water, night crawlers along the bottom, no bobber, topwater when the water warms a bit..

Answer 7

Think small at first. Spinnerbaits, floating repalla,rattle traps, top water (gitter bugs).

Answer 8

WOW! You have done your homework so far!

As an avid tournament bass angler, I have to tell you that the above answers are ok, but totally WRONG at the same time.

Early Spring. The slowly rising temperature of the water and the lengthening daylight period are cues to largemouth bass that they should begin moving shallower. Look for ditches, channel banks, stump or fencerows and other structures leading from deep to shallow water in the prespawn period; these serve as pathways along which bass make a move to their spring locations. Largemouths seldom stay in shallow water for extended lengths of time in early spring; rather they hold where deep and shallow water meet and make short feeding forays into shallower areas. Breaklines are critical structures during the prespawn period; here largemouths have access to both deep and shallow water only a few feet apart. By locating over a breakline, a dropoff at the end of a big flat from 25 to 8 feet in depth, the bass can hold in deep water when less active and travel up into the shallows to feed. Determining the timing of these short, infrequent feeding movements is critical to fishing success; check them several times throughout the course of the day. Spring Spawn. Largemouth bass prefer to spawn in shallow water. They often bed in coves and tributaries protected from the chilling effects of a harsh north wind. The nest will usually be no deeper than the depth at which sunlight can penetrate to incubate the eggs; this is seldom deeper than 4 feet. Bass like a hard bottom condition for spawning, as opposed to mud or silt. But these fish are highly adaptable, they have been known to spawn in the tops of submerged stumps and on old tires. Post Spawn. After spawning, many largemouth bass reverse their movements along ditches, channel banks and other migration routes and move back out to deeper channel structures. However, if there is sufficient cover in shallow water, they may not move far and may stay quite close to their spawning grounds for extended periods.
The thought of early spring bass fishing brings both a sense of anticipation and dread. We bass anglers are thrilled that now is the time that we have a chance to corral our biggest bass of the year. This knowledge is tempered with the fact that now is also the time when we are faced with somewhat lethargic bass, muddy water conditions, cold fronts before the spawn, high waters, and excessive wind. Here are some tips on how to cope with these conditions and some tackle that can be matched with these particular situations.

LETHARGIC BASS: You arrive at your favorite bass lake, the one where you know where the best spots are where the fish are likely to hold. Yet, after several hours of visiting your favorite honeyholes, you do not have a bass to show for your efforts. For this situation, a good solution is to take a break and remind yourself that much is in your favor. For example, you know what kinds of cover the bass are on in your home lake prefer and how they use that cover. Return to the same locales that you visited earlier in the day, but this time, slow your presentation and employ finesse baits. The bass are where they are supposed to be, but they may need extra prodding, and finesse lures are ideal choices for lethargic bass. One of the best finesse baits is a 2 or 3 inch tube lure. These days, one of the hottest trends on America's best bass waters is to Texas rig 4 and 5 inch tubes with sliding bullet sinkers. This trend is so popular that many anglers have forgotten that for many years smaller tubes were a standard go to bait when bass were extremely turned off. Ideal tube colors should match those of crayfish in your home impoundment. Instead of Texas rigging these tubes, try split shotting them with a few shots 10 to 12 inches above the artificial. Retrieve these tubes very slowly, periodically stopping the retrieve, then allowing the bait to flutter to the bottom. Don't be afraid to leave the lure in one place for 10 or more seconds either, especially if your home lake has any current that may give life to a motionless lure. To get the most from finesse tubes, use medium to light action spinning rods and lines no heavier than 6 pound test. Loosen the drag on the spinning reel, and be prepared for some lengthy battles with some good sized bass.

MUDDY WATER CONDITIONS: Muddy water can present some problems, to be sure, but this condition can also present some opportunities. For example, after a week of rain, the water has been discolored for a few days. In that situation, bass may go several days without actively feeding, but they are not going to starve themselves just because conditions are unfavorable. They will bite, and the key is to take advantage of that instinct to feed. Two lures stand out for muddy water bass. The first is a tandem spinnerbait with Colorado and/or Indiana blades. Willowleaf blades excel in clear water because their blades give off more flash than other blade configurations do. But in discolored water, Colorado and Indiana blades are superior because their blades emit more vibration, what many anglers call "thump," than willowleaf blades. The second lure is a soft plastic bait, such as a 6 inch worm or lizard, or a 4 inch crawfish that is big enough to add rattles to. By themselves, plastic baits cause very little water displacement or noise, but a creation that has several sound chambers imbedded in its body can give off a bit of noise. These two lures are ideal in that together they entice muddy water bass that are active or inactive. For instance, if the bass are foraging and cruising about over flats or up and down points, a tandem spinnerbait is a superb choice. Fancast this bait to likely areas. Start out retrieving the lure at a quick clip. If strikes do not occur, progressively slow your retrieve until you are slowrolling the spinnerbait. Conversely, if the bass are not moving about but appear to be holding tight to cover, tie on a soft plastic bait that had a rattle or two added. Move in tight to wood or rock cover, and flip or pitch this lure to likely locales. Be sure that you thoroughly work all of the cover and don't be afraid to leave your lure in one spot for a long time. After the soft plastic lure has been allowed to rest, squeeze your rod handle and activate the rattle chambers. Sometimes that action will be necessary for a resounding strike to occur.

COLD FRONTS BEFORE THE SPAWN: A cold front that crashes through an area right before the spawn is one of the worst hands that Mother Nature can deal to a bass fisherman. You are set to experience some truly hot action, but then a bluebird sky arrives, the air temperature drops, and the bass leave the shallows and return to deep waters. One point in our favor is that the bass that flee the shallows are not hard to find. For instance, if the bass on your home lake typically spawn in shallow coves, flats, or points - as is typical in anywhere in the country - the fish merely relocate to the first dropoff from those locales. Those dropoffs may take the form of a river or creek channel, a ditch that is either natural or manmade, or an old roadbed. Whatever form that initial dropoff takes, you can bet that the bass were shallow the day before are now on the decline in the lake's bottom. The best bait for this situation is a jig and pig, coupled with a medium-heavy baitcaster spooled with 12 pound test or line as heavy as the water clarity in your home body of water will allow. Remember that bass that are ready to spawn don't eat often, but when they do, they usually want a big meal. These fish don't typically desire to expand energy chasing down a minnow, shiner or other baitfish. A jig and pig fulfills a bass' desire to consume a slow moving creature that offers maximum food caught with a minimum of energy spent. Work this bait so that it scoots slowly across the bottom like crayfish kicking up little silt clouds. If your home lake lacks underwater cover, stop your retrieve for a few seconds at a time. If, however, cover lines the bottom, a halted jig and pig is often a lost one. If there are lots of cover, keep this lure moving, albeit slowly.

HIGH WATER: If you have fished for any number of years at all during the early spring, sooner or later you had to deal with high water conditions on your favorite impoundment. Although at times this water can be discolored or even muddy, sometimes water levels are above normal merely because the lake has been temporarily drawn down. The ideal choice for high water conditions should be crankbaits. Medium action baitcasters that are 6 1/2 to 7 feet long and feature a slow tip are ideal choices for early spring crankbaiting. the long rods are great for accurately casting a crankbait, and the medium action and the slow tip are perfect for allowing a fish a little extra time to wrap its mouth around a bait before you feel a strike. Some anglers prefer flat sided crankbaits for the early spring period while others opt for the more traditional alphabet styled crankbaits. Alphabet crankbaits have a reputation for rising to the top a little slower and are often considered the best choice when you need a lure to hover in one area for a longer period of time. On the other hand, flat sided crankbaits seem to give off a fetching side to side action, and sometimes that movement will trigger strikes. A good solution is to affix flat and alphabet styled crankbaits to several different rods and work both baits equally until the bass indicate that they prefer one to the other. The most important thing to do, though, is to cast these lures as far back into cover as is possible. That's where the bass will be.

EXCESSIVE WIND: You won't mind fishing when the wind is dimpling the surface, and things aren't so bad even when the wind periodically causes waves to form. But when you hear the weatherman proclaim that the wind will be blustery, you know that you are going to have to change your game plan when you visit your home lake the next day. The question is, what is the best game plan? The best way to answer that question is to explain how bass react to various forms of wind. Anglers know well that a breeze that gently disturbs the surface often causes bass to feed more aggressively. The same holds true when the surface has a slight or considerable chop to it. Indeed, bass will often feed just on or near the surface when those conditions are prevalent. When the breeze becomes a stiff wind, as is often true during the early spring, the bass tend to relocate. For example, look for the bass to be deep and around structure, especially point that the wind is blowing in on. Various prey species, from one celled organisms to baitfish, will have been forced into these same areas, and the bass will have followed them. Thus anglers should look upon excessively windy conditions as a challenge, but also as an opportunity. The bass are likely to be active, and the key to catching them is giving them the right lure presented in the right way. One of the most effective windy day artificials is a 1/2 to 1 ounce tandem willowleaf spinnerbait, especially if the water is clear or just slightly stained. The flash from the willowleaf blades makes this lure easy for the bass to see and to home in on, even in the wind buffeted water. Boat positioning is also a key. You will do better if you position your boat in accordance with the direction the wind is blowing. That means pointing the bow into the breeze and casting the lure upwind. Bass will be facing into the current waiting for food to be washed down to them. If the wind shifts direction sometime during the day, make sure that you react accordingly.

During the early spring period, bass fishermen have the potential to enjoy spectacular success, or to endure spectacular failure. The difference between glorious success and total failure is how well we respond and adapt to the weather conditions. Make sure that you have taken the time to prepare a tackle box that matches the cards that Mother Nature has dealt you on that particular day.



The link below will take you to the Bass Resource.com article list, which has a ton of articles for you to check out about spring time bassin.
Tight lines and have fun!