TAKEOFF
SCENARIOS
GETTING THE JUMP ON NORTHERN RIVERS
hoW to taKe advantaGe of early Bass fishinG opportunities
When the season is still closed on Many Waters
By Curtis Niedermier
O
As Matt Stefan and other Northern anglers know, fishing rivers for prespawn largemouths and smallmouths offers a good alternative to sitting
at home and waiting for lake seasons to open.
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pening days for various fishing seasons are like holi-
days in the north, but some anglers refuse to wait for
the official opener to start the party. no, they aren’t
lawbreakers. they’re river rats.
rivers such as the Mississippi, Wolf and Wisconsin are open
to fishing year-round even though inland lakes have closed
seasons well into spring (check regulations before you go, as
states impose varying rules). coincidentally, ice-out usually
comes earlier on the rivers than the lakes, and usually by early
april (sometimes sooner) bass anglers can start their season.
according to Wisconsin pro Matt stefan, this early window of
opportunity provides some of the best fishing of the season, as
largemouth and smallmouth bass quickly transition through
prespawn and spawning patterns in predictable areas.
“the prespawn-into-spawn period is so short compared
to the southern portions of the country,” adds stefan. “We
really don’t have much of a prespawn. the prespawn starts
as soon as the ice comes off, and the fish are spawning by
the end of april and into May. We have one wave of fish, and
on the rivers it could be as early as the end of april.”
Safety First
cold water and wintry weather in the early season pose
dangerous fishing conditions. exercise caution when the
weather turns.
in addition to the cold, high water can be hazardous in
spring.
“in terms of safety, a lot depends on how much snow
we’ve had, and how much current there is based on the
snowmelt,” says stefan. “in general, the dangerous areas are
the areas right below the dams. they’ll have gates open, and
they have major current flow.
“in floodwater conditions you probably want to stay away for
two reasons. safety is the big reason. But also the fishing is usu-
ally not that good because you’re dealing with high, cold, muddy
water. it’s just not where you want to be that time of year.”
FLWFISHING.COM I APRIL 2018