Fishing Spring Rains for Bass

       Early spring, providing the air temperature is rising, is one of the most productive times to catch bass.  Bass fishermen should begin paying attention to their water temperature gauges.

       When water temperatures approach the mid-fifties, bass will begin to move up in the water column to shallower water.  This is caused by their biological clock to spawn and to begin feeding in preparation for the spawn.

       One of the problems confronting bass fishermen during this period is heavy spring rains.  Spring rains generally mean high water conditions and that makes bass fishermen uncomfortable.  If this is the case for you, you are missing some of the best fishing of the year.

       As long as the air temperature is warmer than the water temperature, spring rain runoff will cause the water temperature to rise.  Another benefit from the spring rain runoff is the places where the runoff enters the lake will be warmer than the surrounding water.  Bass will seek these places out because they will be more comfortable and, possibly, hold bait fish.

       High water causes a couple of situations that are ideal for bass fishing.  The first result of high water is the fact that the main lake points will have trees and grass under the water.  As the lake level stabilizes after the rise, the water temperature begins to rise approaching 60 degrees and the bass will move up following the bait fish.  A variety of baits will work in these circumstances but the Texas-rigged plastic worm in either 5 or 7 inch lengths seems to out fish the rest.

       This situation may need you to fish many points.  All points are not created equal thus you may have to fish many to decide which points are holding fish.  Try to concentrate on main lake point to begin with and then move to secondary points.

       The second situation is after the rise and the lake level stabilizes, the backs of pockets will be filled with log jams, leaves and other trash floating on the water.  If you can find this situation in association with a run-off coming into the lake, you have found a honey hole.  These kinds of areas are very much like a magnet to baitfish and bass.  Once again a variety of baits will produce results but remember that bait fish are small so a small spinner bait or shallow crank bait will be best.

       Do not shun these conditions thus losing out on some excellent fishing situations.