With the prespawn season coming up, many anglers are wondering where the fish are and whether or not they are tossing the right baits. This struggle is very understandable because the prespawn transition is one of the toughest times of year to catch bass, but it doesn’t have to be. With the four lures we discuss today and fishing tips to go with them, we can assure you that you’ll have some spring fishing success!
Prespawn Lure #1: Chatterbait
Typically during the prespawn season, anglers will attempt to target bass while jig fishing, but the chatterbait is a very underrated lure this time of year known to catch big bass. Contrary to popular belief, the chatterbait can be worked slowly, similar to the jig. The chatterbait also has a flashy blade that creates more reaction bites. Even though the bass aren’t quite spawning yet, males can be protective when building the bed and protecting it, which is why a flashy lure like the chatterbait works wonders in the prespawn. We recommend dragging this bait off the bottom and giving it the occasional pop to create a potential reaction bite. Regarding spring fishing and prespawn fishing, the chatterbait is one of our team’s go-to lures when targeting big bass!
Prespawn Lure #2: Lipless Crankbait
As mentioned, even though the spawn hasn’t started yet, bass will often still have their protective tendencies and be on high alert for any threats to the female bass. This is why a loud moving bait like the lipless crankbait is a great option. Ripping the lipless crankbait through shallow cover or even vertically jigging in deep water can be a great way to hook into prespawn bass. As far as color goes, vibrant, loud colorways of the lipless crankbait work best during the prespawn season because they are more likely to catch the eye of protective bass.
Prespawn Lure #3: Paddle Tail Swimbait & The Umbrella Rig
Another great way to trick bass into a reaction bite is mimicking baitfish that might try and eat the eggs in the future. Even if the eggs haven't been laid, like in the prespawn season, bass will still eat bait that swims by the empty bed. The paddle tail swimbait is a great way to mimic these baitfish that bass despise. Bass will usually eat any lure mimicking a baitfish instantly, which makes this a killer bait during the spring and pre-spawn season. We recommend first trying an umbrella rig to mimic a school of baitfish that poses a larger threat than one baitfish. If the Umbrella Rig doesn’t work, sometimes downsizing your lure is what it takes to get a bite!
Prespawn Lure #4: Medium Crankbait
As you can likely see by now, the common theme of this article is throwing baits that are loud or mimic baitfish, and the medium diving crankbait is another lure that does both of those things. With the medium diving crankbait, you get a loud and fast-moving profile while also mimicking a baitfish. According to our team, this is the best lure to toss during the prespawn and seems to produce the most consistent bites. With bass transitioning from deep to shallow waters, the medium diving crankbait is a great way to catch the fish on their way to shallower waters and get some reaction bites! More often than not, the crankbait produces the most catches during the prespawn, and we simply can’t say enough about this killer bait!
When using the right lures, the prespawn can be the best time of year to catch a record-breaking bass. Just remember, getting a reaction bite from the bait's action and lifelike appearance is the key to landing fish this time of year. With these lures and fishing tips, you’ll have a slay session next time you hit the water! Tight lines this prespawn season!
