shade lines, but one of the most over-
looked forms of concealment is depth.
The next time you find yourself
scouring the shallows, find the contour
line where the bottom is no longer visi-
ble. You can usually find it by looking for
a color change in the water. Giants lurk
in this area, just out of sight.
Catch Giants
The first bait we turn to this time of
year is a glide bait, which has quickly
worked its way into our year-round arse-
nal for one very important reason: draw-
ing power.
The drawing power of a 6- to 12-inch
glide bait is unmatched, and it’s highly
effective in this situation. When a glide
bait nonchalantly swims overhead, even
the most weary bass slip up, and they
might reveal themselves, or, even better,
they might eat. Whether it’s a lunker
lurking in a shade line, a big ol’ bass lin-
gering in a laydown or a giant sitting just
out of sight on a contour line, some of
the largest bass will reveal themselves to
a glide bait.
When bass don’t fully commit, follow
up with a 5- to 7-inch weightless stick
bait rigged wacky or Texas style. The
stick bait is a silent killer. Its slow, subtle
shimmy and fall are perfect for large,
skittish bass. You should use it as a fol-
low-up lure, but also blind-cast it to con-
tour changes and along the line where
you lose visibility to the bottom. There is
definitely something special about an
unobtrusive bait, so don’t head to the
lake without it.
The final style of bait we recommend
is a topwater, which can be fished in the
same area as the glide bait and soft stick
bait. Anytime you can be the first angler
to present a proven bait to a bass, you
have a good chance of catching it, and
this early in the season, it’s possible that
the fish in your local waters haven’t
seen a topwater presentation since late
last fall.
Depending on the area we’re fishing,
we select one of three topwater baits.
Our first choice is a 6- to 8-inch wake
bait. Much like the glide bait, a big wake
bait’s profile and slow, lazy action make
it an easy meal right before spawning.
The second topwater bait we use is a
walking-style bait. For targeting a lay-
down or shade line, the walking bait’s
tight, side-to-side action combined with
the obnoxious rattle is often the final
APRIL-MAY 2020 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING.COM | FLWFISHING.COM
straw to get that big bass to commit. The
other primary topwater bait we use is a
frog. Depending on the fishery and the
vegetation around where the bass
spawn, a frog on braided line might pro-
vide the perfect combination of finesse
and power to pull the biggest spawners
out of heavy cover.
The combination of a lumbering
glide bait, slow-falling stick bait and top-
water action consistently fools giant bass
this time of year. You just need to
embrace the fact that you don’t always
have to see the fish first to load the boat.
FISH CARE IS CRUCIAL
AROUND THE SPAWN
Let’s all remember to practice proper fish care.
The weeks encompassing the spawn comprise the
most delicate time of year for large female bass.
The spawning process takes its toll on the overall
health of the fish, leaving them susceptible to
stress and predation. We want to protect them and
preserve our fisheries for future generations to
enjoy. So, remember, when you catch your new
personal best or a fish of a lifetime, get your pic-
tures and measurements quickly. Then safely
release her to be caught another day.
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