Six season's of bass
VICTOR LEAKE

The six season's of bass fishing. For most people there are only four season's in a year-Winter; Spring; Summer & Fall. But for the Bass angler we have six season's, Winter; Early Spring; Spring Spawn; Post spawn; Summer & Fall.

In winter, with water temperatures below 50 degrees, bass can be found on main lake bluffs, channel ledges, and sharp bends in creek channels. After two or three days of warm sun shine look for bass to move up the bluff wall into shallow water. Finding the warmest water can payoff in lots of bass action. Top producing baits at this time of year is the jig&pig combo, slow moving and easy pray for the bass.

Early Spring; water begins to warm up and the bass move along under water hi ways into shallow water to feed. They will relate to ditches, creek channels, fence rolls and sunken road beds. Boat ramps are also very good places to try as the concrete ramps warm up fast.

Large mouth bass will not stay in shallow water for long in early spring, but rather will move up at different times of the day from near by deeper water. Look for an area where a large flat drops off into a ditch or creek channel, this will be the route the bass will take from the "safe" deeper water onto the feeding area of a shallow flat. With clear water a jerk bait is often the best choice to trigger a strike from a waiting bass.

Spring Spawn; Large mouth bass like to spawn in shallow water, not much deeper than four feet. They prefer hard sand or gravel bottom to make a nest in but will make a nest out of an old tire or even the top of a tree stump if sun light can reach it to warm the eggs. They will look for a bay or cove on the north side of a lake, this allows more sun light to warm the area as the sun is still in the southern part of the sky.

Tubes and floating worms account for many bass as they stage for the spawn. Bright colors help both the angler and the bass to see the lure and bass often attract a bright colored bait while ignoring a more normal colored one.

Post Spawn; After the spawn if there is good cover for the bass they will stay close by in shallow water, but if little or no cover they will move back to the deeper water using the same routes they used to move in early spring. Buzz baits and spinner baits often work best as you can cover more water searching for the bass with these baits. Also the buzz bait will often trigger a strike from a bass that is not searching for food. Always have a floating worm or tube on another rod, if the bass blows up on the buzz bait but misses; quickly toss in the soft plastic right where the bass hit.

Summer; Is the time to leave the shore and look for bass out in deep water. They will stay on under water island's, humps, brush piles and rock piles. Bass will look for cool water, and deep water is often the coolest and safest in any body of water. As in winter the bass will be close to shallow water, and will use the same routes; creek channel and such, to move from deep to shallow to feed.

Carolina rigged lizards and plastic worms are good choices at this time, as are deep running crank baits. Find a hump that raises from the depths, say 20 feet up to 6 feet and you may have just found that honey hole full of bass.

Fall; The one time of year when the bass will not relate to structure, but rather will fallow the food. Bass will move to backs of coves and flats fallowing the shad and other bait fish. With an abundance of food and cold weather right around the corner; bass will feed through out the day. You may often catch a bass that is so full of shad they are sticking out of it's mouth.

Lipless crank baits like the rattling spot are good choices to cover a lot of water. Buzz baits will bring in a lot of bass at this time of year, as the bass are active and in shallow water.

Fish often, catch all you want; keep just what you need, and release the rest for the future.