May 09, 2008
With the exception of extreme southern latitudes, where the ritual is mostly complete, the lives of largemouth bass throughout America are being influenced by their annual desire to reproduce more than anything else right now.
Bass fishing superstars Kevin VanDam and Mike Iaconelli offer their thoughts regarding the truths and falsehoods of this annual spring ritual.
Q: What are some of the misunderstanding or falsehoods surrounding the spawn?
A: KVD - "All fish do not spawn on the full moon, but the moon phase has a lot bigger influence on motivating 'waves' of bass to spawn than water temperature does. In fact, I've seen bass spawn in 55-degree water when the moon phase and length-of-day were desirable to them."
A: Ike - "You can't judge a spawn purely on a full moon alone." (Note: the next full moon is on Tuesday May 20, 2008). If the amount of available daylight hours are desirable, they will spawn regardless of the moon phase."
Q: What are some additional misunderstandings surrounding the spawn?
A: KVD - "Not all bass spawn super shallow. At Lake Amistad, I saw them spawning 20' feet deep. If the water is clear enough, and light penetration is adequate, they spawn a lot deeper."
A: Ike - "Tiny baits and spinning rods are not the only way to go. Sometimes a big Power Hawg thrown on 25-pound line is just as desirable to a spawning bass."
Q: How about some quick tips, or proven facts that will help all of us achieve better success with bedding bass?
A: KVD - "First, you have to gain an understanding of where bass spawn. Start by looking in areas that offer daily protection from strong wind. Protected, shallow pockets are good, and so are protected flats. Also, if you'll stick to soft plastics like tubes or a green pumpkin lizard you will catch just as many spawning bass as you could catch on any other lure(s) in your tackle box."
A: Ike - "You have to realize that every spawning bass you encounter has a different personality than the previous or next one. Some spawners want an aggressive presentation, while others desire a subtle presentation. Some will bite when the lure is in the middle of the nest, while others will only bite when the lure gets to the edge of the nest. So learn to read their personalities when you spot one on a bed. And lastly, this used to be a secret, but use a red Tru Tungsten bullet weight, and you'll stimulate more spawning bass to bite."
