Nick Simonson
By Nick Simonson
In addition to those Memorial Day barbecues, graduation parties, and first trips to the swimming pool, the unofficial start to summer likely includes some fishing for one of the season's most iconic species: the largemouth bass. This time of year, big, black-striped bucketmouths aren't hard to find, if you know where to look, so in addition to the 13 addresses plugged into your GPS for those annual get-togethers, make a beeline to these four elements to find more lunkers.
1. Emergent Anything. The overarching theme to late spring largmouths is structure, and a teacup in a bathtub would hold them this time of year as they stage for the spawn. Thus, those stands of emergent plants that have a bit of bulk to them and offer considerable protection from prying eyes - such as reeds and lily pads – are ideal first locations to inspect for these fish. Use soft plastics to explore in and around each stand of these plants and remember to utilize braided lines not only for their super sensitivity to detect the inhale of the lure, but also when needed to saw through their stocks when a bass is on the line and wrapped up down below.
2. Stumped. Timber of any form is a great springtime stop for bass, as the wood attracts a microcosmic network of the food web, from small aquatic insects up to prey items such as baitfish and panfish that largemouth bass key in on. Stumps on flooded lakes or reservoirs, and deadfalls that topple into the shallows are just some of the timber that can draw and hold largemouth bass in spring, and often keep them around well into summer. Work them with precision casts into the old hollow of a stump, or the crook of each main branch on a deadfall to explore them thoroughly, or bounce a square billed crankbait through a stump field to draw a reaction strike from lurking largemouths.
3. Docks Pay. Even in spring, docks can provide good largemouth fishing, especially those in shallow bays and on shorelines which receive the most sunlight during the day. Here, in the warmer waters of a lake, largemouth swarm to spawn, but will stage under the protective cover of a recently-installed dock. While docks around a main lake body may take a few weeks to host bass, target those in these key areas right now to find active spring fish. Bass will also rest up under those docks that are bigger, with multiple arms and a boat lift or two adjacent to them, giving the fish plenty of extra cover and ambush points.
4. That's Uncommon. There's a catch-all for spring largemouth bass, and that's structure of any kind. I've caught dozens off an old foundation of a boathouse time and time again on a trip to a small lake up north this time of year. I have a random boulder on a lake near our family cabin that's visible from above (and detectable with a motor prop) that also harbors a nice bucketmouth each spring, without fail. Even a couple old tires and a memorable pair of cinderblocks have become key oddball pieces of structure that I know will give me a good shot at a couple nice bass that relate to them. Odds are, your favorite lake has similar pieces of structure, and anything out of the ordinary that provides cover, breaks up the monotony, or simply sticks out, is worth pitching a few baits to or ripping a jerkbait over for big bass this spring. Make a mark on your GPS and come back season after season for success.
With these four stops in mind, it's not hard to establish a pattern for spring largemouth bass. Lock the locations in on your favorite waters and get ready to fire off those first casts in earnest for the gamest fish that swims.
Simonson is the lead writer and editor of Dakota Edge Outdoors.
Featured Photo: Largemouth bass in spring relate to shallow structure, making identification of their favorite seasonal haunts easier for anglers. Simonson Photo.
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