Prespawn Patterning
Kreiger primarily fishes a wake bait during the prespawn, and Gagliardi agrees that’ s the best season. relatively clear water is a must so bass can spot and home in on the bait, and the water temperature needs to be high enough that bass are willing to eat on the surface – usually the low 50s and up. in the prespawn, both Krieger and Gagliardi cast wake baits parallel to the bank and target bluff walls, chunk rock banks, banks leading in to spawning areas, secondary points and other spots where bass stage up before moving in to spawn. as prespawn transitions into spawn, a similar approach works in spawning areas. Bass that are staging or even starting to bed will often follow, swirl at or otherwise show themselves on a wake bait cruising slowly overhead. these fish can sometimes be caught with a follow-up lure or marked for later.
Schooling Scenarios the wake bait is also a solid topwater bait in any season for casting at isolated targets: points, timber or schooling spots where bass suspend and chase baitfish near the surface.
Gagliardi believes calm conditions are better if waking the bait in open water.
“ any time you’ re fishing out there and you see lots of bait in open water on the surface, and once you start noticing single baitfish on the surface making that‘ v’ across the water when it’ s calm, that’ s when it’ s really good,” he says.
Wake it Right slow and steady is the only way to fish a wake bait because if the lure is fished too fast it might dive or blow out. rod control is also critical for achieving the right presentation.
1. Make a long cast, and then hold the rod tip up at about 11:30 at the start of the retrieve.
2. As the bait gets closer, gradually lower the rod tip.
Gear Considerations
Line: 10- to 14-pound-test monofilament
Rod: kreiger likes spinning tackle for casting in wind and back-reeling. Gagliardi uses a 7-foot, medium-power, fastaction baitcasting rod.
3. The goal is to keep the line off the water and the nose of the bait at the right level for it to wake. You’ ll know if it’ s too low or too high based on the action; adjust accordingly.
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