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As anglers, if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that spawn fishing for largemouth bass is one of the most exciting things out there.

You might not fish the spawn, but we can probably agree it’s a lot of fun.

When bass are on their beds, they’re ornery, to put it lightly. This is the one time of year that it’s almost harder not to catch fish than it is to catch them.

As long as you know where to look. Gear up the Old Town PDL 120, get out there, and put these tips into practice.

When’s the Spawn?

The bass spawn occurs at different times in different areas of the country and is largely dependent on water temperature.

Usually, bass start moving shallow and fanning out their beds to prepare for spawning when the water temperatures get between 55℉ and 65℉. This depends on locale, and fish in some water bodies will spawn later than others.

All in all, though, this occurs between late February (in the south) and early to late May (in the north).

Right now, if you’re in the southern part of the country, the spawn has passed you by - but for those in the north, there’s still time.

Where Will the Fish Be?

Bass can be tricky. Weird weather patterns can have them schooled up and suspended. Cold and hot temperatures can send them deep and give them lockjaw. It really all depends on a lot of factors.

But not during the spawn. This is the one time of year when practically all breeding age fish in the lake or river will leave whatever haunts they usually occupy, hit the shallows, and start bedding down - which is your ticket to fast action.

It goes like this. Once the temperatures start to creep towards 55℉, you can leave the winter deep water and start looking towards the shoreline. Fish in different water bodies will prefer different conditions, but one thing is constant, they will all be shallow.

Some bass will gravitate towards water that’s barely knee deep. Others will look for water between 5’ and 10’ - but usually a bit shallower.

If your lake is muddy, the fish won’t be too particular about the bottom. If sand and gravel are available, they will probably look for that.

Here’s how you can pinpoint them - break out the polarized glasses and start scanning the shallows. You want to look for small craters called “redds” along the shoreline. These are the beds or nests the fish create when spawning.

The male usually fans out the nest, using his mouth, fins and tail, constructing a nest that is about twice his length in diameter.

The telltale sign is a little white circle on the bottom of the lake near the shoreline. Oftentimes, you will find clumps of these together, not as close as bluegill redds, but still often in relatively close clusters.

This is the area you want to hit for spawn fishing - just creep up quietly so you don’t spook the fish off their beds.

What Presentation to Use?kky

When it comes to presentation, pretty much anything goes here. This is power fishing, not finesse fishing, meaning you aren’t necessarily trying to evoke a strike out of hunger. You just need to make the bass mad, and when they’re spawning that’s not hard to do.

At this time of year, anything that gets close to the nest is seen as a threat by the fish and they’re hardwired to attack it, so nearly any artificial will work.

Big plastics are killers at this time of year. Trick worms, magnum worms, curly tail worms and grubs, lizards, creatures, trailers, even soft turtles will elicit strikes. Texas or Carolina rig that thing, or fish it on a jighead. Throw it right over the redd and watch the bass go crazy.

Soft plastics perform at most other times of year, too, though including in the dead of winter, so this could come as no surprise.

Plugs of all sorts are spectacular during the spawn, especially topwaters, including poppers, wakebaits, and topwalkers. All make a lot of noise, get the fish ripping mad, and will draw in strikes from far and wide. Some particularly pugilistic fish may even chase them down from way out.

Diving plugs are also effective, but during the spawn, skip the silent ones. You want a lot of rattle and hum. Rat-L Traps, Rapalas, Rebels, Bombers, Smithwicks, and Strike King plugs all work wonders during the spawn.

Spinnerbaits, both inline and overhead arm spinners (AKA safety pin spinners or buzzbaits) are also extremely effective during the spawn. This is because they make a lot of flash and noise that get fish really riled up.

The other good thing about fishing a spinner during the spawn is you can cover more water faster by searching - maximizing your potential catch.

The spawn is also one of the only times of year that using spoons is highly effective for bass, the other being in the winter when jigging a spoon can catch you bass that are holding deep.

The same goes here: cast the spoon over or near the margins of the redds, and work it any way you want. Yo-yo and twitching techniques are most effective, but bass are so aggressive at this time of year that even a straight retrieve will likely catch you fish. Dardevles, Little Cleos, Kastmaters, Phoebes, Luhr-Jensen Krocodiles - they all work.

Closing Notes on Spawn Bassin’

One thing - when you key in on the spawn, you will probably catch fish consistently, and some days it can be so intense that you catch a fish per cast. If the pickerel and crappies in your area are spawning too, you’ll get some of them mixed in.

Here’s the thing. You should be extra ginger with all fish you catch at this time of year, handle them gently and get them back in the water quickly, as they’ll be currently rearing the next generation of trophies. This is the reason that many states only allow catch and release during the months that bass usually spawn.

So be gentle and get them back in the water fast. It’s an investment in next year’s stock.

Load Up The Old Town PDL 120 and Hit the Water

Ready to try spawn fishing for yourself? Load of the Old Town PDL 120 and visit your favorite local hole. You shouldn’t have to travel far to get to good fishing.