When pertaining to giant bass in transitional modes, we need to take into consideration, not only the movements and transitions that bass make season within season. Daily transitions also occur throughout each season within season through the entire year. Let’s first breakdown the seasonal transitions and then cover all aspects of variables that cause daily or nightly transitions within these stages of each particular season.
The first season transition occurs during the late Winter / Early Spring timeframe, as the largest fish in the system migrate from Wintering areas in main lake basins following migration routes to eventual secondary staging zones. Consecutive fronts during this time frame create scenario where giant bass will stall, vertically stack in various positions in the water column and become neutral to negative for select periods of time.
Cold North winds cause these incoming fish to stall. This is considered a variable transition. As water temperatures rise during early spring, this factor continues to less of a degree as giant bass instinctively feel the need to feed heavily before spawning. They can transition from Neutral or negative mode to active levels quickly and short bite windows with intense feeding sprees can occur. These windows of opportunity can be short lived, but once located and with the proper presentations, multiple giant bass can be boated quickly.
Once water temperatures stabilize, hungry early spring bass move onto secondary staging zones and become even more aggressive. Cold fronts that are incoming during this time of year actually trigger a major feed until the front passes. As the front blows out, bass may transition once again to deeper areas and suspend again at various depth levels. This scenario will continue with the 3 stages of pre-spawn into spawn through the entire spring. Learning to recognize transitions during spring on a daily basis will depict the most productive presentations for each group of select bass in variable modes.
As the stage of spring moves further along, another transition occurs. Post-spawn giants may stay near bedding areas and begin to feed aggressively, as another round of secondary staging fish combine with post-spawn fish. This time of spring provides a combination of aggressive post-spawners and second to third round pre-spawn and bedding fish. Numbers of big bas numbers skyrocket for the mid to late spring into early summer peak time frame. The late spring through summer peak time frame provides some of the best fishing of the season as water temps climb into the 60’s and low 70’s
After about 2 to 3 weeks of the summer peak prime bite, many of the post spawners begin to filter back to off-shore structures and head back to main lake basins. This is a seasonal transition that happens every year. Following these giant bass back out, along with still picking off some third round late pre-spawn fish is a combination of elements that also provides excellent opportunities for numbers of quality bass.
GETTING A GRIP
ON TRANSITION BASS
Bass Digest/June, 2014