One of the best times to catch bass is right before a cold front moves in. The warm air associated with pre-frontal conditions usually offer rising water temperatures which increase the bite. The pre-frontal conditions also generally produce favorable wind and cloud cover.
What months are best for bass fishing?
When it comes to catching bass, every season has its opportunities and challenges. Fishing can come alive in the dead of winter on a mild afternoon, but spring and fall usually present the best action. Generally, I try to avoid extremes of heat and cold and times when the water temperature falls rapidly.
What temperature are bass most active?
While bass will bite readily in water temperatures between 61-84° F, the ideal water temperature range to catch bass consistently in is between 74-79° F when bass are most aggressively feeding and daytime highs do not force bass into shaded or deep structure. Bass will be in deep main-lake holes.
What wind is best for bass fishing?
“As a general principle, if the wind is blowing 20 miles per hour or more, a spinnerbait fisherman is going to catch more bass in any season under any other conditions,” Jones said. “The harder the wind blows, the better bass bite spinnerbaits.
What color attracts bass the most?
Most expert night fishermen use black or dark blue lures. The theory is that these colors provide a more distinct profile when silhouetted against the lighter background of the water’s surface. Thus, a dark lure is easier for bass to see and strike accurately at night.
What time of day are bass most active?
Without question, the best time of day to fish for bass is at night. Bass are known to feed more heavily at night than during any other time of day. Not only is night the best time to fish for bass due to bass being more active, there are often fewer anglers and less commotion on the waterways during the evening hours.
Where do bass usually hide?
Look for weed beds, docks, and bridges. Bass will hang out just outside the entrances to shallow coves if there’s a quick drop-off. Also look for any submerged trees, logs, rocks, etc. Once the water starts cooling in the fall, bass will aggressively chase down schools of baitfish.
What time of year do bass hit topwater?
Topwater fishing is one of the best ways to catch bass during late fall, early spring, and late spring when they are in their spawning areas. Topwater baits will often entice a reaction strike from the bass during this time, creating some of the most memorable fishing moments.
What is the best bait for bass right now?
Shad, minnows, or shiners are some of the best live baits for bass, hands down. Baitfish come in different sizes and can be used in all types of bass waters, but they are incredibly productive in deeper water to target huge bass.
What depth do bass swim at?
While productive depths during the early summer are dependent on the lake, I like 6 to 12 feet of water. During the height of summer, bass may move as deep as 15 or 20 feet, especially in clear water. Fishing crankbaits along weed edges is a proven summertime tactic for big largemouths.
Where do bass go on windy days?
Bass have very predictive behavior during windy weather. These fish will hang out in windblown areas so they can ambush their prey. In windy conditions, bass come out of their deeper hiding places into the shallower water. They’re much more effortless to catch there.
Is 20 mph too windy for fishing?
But, it’s always better to err on the side of caution. As a general rule, anything over three foot seas with winds of 20 to 25 knots creates conditions that are no longer safe for fishing.
What do you throw for bass when it’s windy?
Another fishing lure that works great on windy days, similar to a bladed jig, is a spinnerbait. Spinnerbaits specifically with two larger size blades work wonderfully in windy conditions. When it is super windy, slow rolling a spinnerbait and making it bump trees or other structures will entice fish to strike.
What color can bass not see?
Bass apparently do see color. Their vision is strongest in the areas of medium-red to green. It fails rapidly moving into the blues and purples, as it does towards the far reds. If our picture of bass color vision is accurate, then color is meaningful to bass in some cases but not others.
Do fish learn to avoid lures?
In this manner, given enough angling pressure over the long term, populations can become more difficult to catch, even if overall population numbers remain static. So, yes, pressured fish can learn (or adapt) to avoid certain lures.
What lures to use on sunny days?
5 Best Summer Bass Lures: Warm Weather Favorites
- Plastic Worms. During the heat of summer bass will often move to cooler, shady areas near the bottom of the water column.
- Skirted Jigs.
- Spinnerbaits.
- Lipless Crankbaits.
- Topwater Frogs.
Do bass remember being caught?
We’ve found through our studies that fish do have a memory. “For example, if a bass is caught on a spinnerbait one day, it’s almost impossible to catch that fish on the same lure the next day.
Do bass like shallow or deep water?
They stay shallow — typically less than 8 feet — until hot summer days push water temperatures into the high 80s. That’s when they start to move out to deeper, cooler water where they stay until the shallower water starts to cool again in the fall. Food is what really dominates the lives of bass.
Why are the bass not biting?
Bass don’t make big moves when conditions suddenly get tough, but they will reposition to a nearby location that provides them more comfort. For example, if you’ve been catching them under overcast conditions and it gets sunny, bass will move closer to cover and are less likely to chase a bait.
What bait catches the biggest bass?
Key Points To Land Your Biggest Bass
You’ll generally want to avoid spinnerbaits and swimbaits and go with topwater frogs, worms, crankbaits, or jigs. Anglers may have success in their usual spots using big baits and a slow presentation to attract the bigger fish in the area.
How do you consistently find bass?
Docks are one of the most consistent and reliable areas that hold fish year-round and can be a fast way to identify where bass live on lakes. They provide an obvious source of shade and cover that attracts baitfish and bass and are a perfect spot to start when fishing a new lake.