When to Catch Pre-Spawned Bass

nightfishinQ. I have been wondering what month of the year will be best to catch pre-spawned large mouth, small mouth, and Kentucky bass? Also would a shaky head jig work good to catch them?
— Bassmaster11

A. The month changes each year somewhat based on how mild or severe the winter is, plus it starts earlier in the year in the South and happens later up North.  In general, the best prespawn bite occurs when the water warms in the spring into the mid-50s and lasts until the water starts holding overnight in the 60s.  When the water temp gets to that level, large numbers of bass head to the backs of creeks to spawn and your lure will be in front of fish all day.  Shaky head jigs work great in clearer water lakes, while a bigger traditional flipping jig works better for bigger bass if the water is stained and also around heavy wood or grass cover.

Need more tips? Check out this video about where and when to catch bass in the spring:

If you have a fishing question, you can click here to ask pro angler Tom Redington for an answer. He’ll respond to some of the questions on this website.

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