BRANDON MCMILLAN
Clewiston , Florida
PRESPAWN WATERS : Lake Okeechobee and South Florida waters
Bass spawn from October through May in the home waters of Floridian Brandon McMillan , who often finds bass in prespawn , spawn and postspawn stages concurrently over a six-month span .
“ On Lake Okeechobee , you ’ re not fishing typical prespawn patterns ,” he warns . “ You can ’ t tell by the moon phase whether they ’ re going to be on or off the beds . Sometimes fishing is better on a new moon than a full moon . It seems to change week to week .
“ That ’ s why I concentrate on flipping mats .”
Key conditions / habitat
Florida waters like Okeechobee are famous for their aquatic plant life . They present seemingly endless expanses of bass-attracting greenery , including matted grass , pads and cattails , reeds and other forms of emergent vegetation .
“ Bass group up on shell beds and other hard spots in the grass ,” he says . “ You can catch fish on ChatterBaits , spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits if you can find those spots . But those fish aren ’ t usually the giants you ’ re looking for here .”
For the “ giants ,” he takes a “ bed fishing ” approach , but that doesn ’ t necessarily mean he ’ s sight-fishing for spawning
PHOTO BY JODY WHITE
“ Not all ‘ bassy-looking ’ spots are equal .”
BRANDON ’ S BEST BAITS Yo-Zuri Rattl ’ n Vibe in gold-black and
Bruiser Baits MacDaddy Craw in junebug . fish . Rather , he ’ s targeting high-percentage fish-holding areas , ideally with visible objects like laydowns , rocks , dock poles , brush piles and other cover with conspicuous bass appeal .
Keep in mind that …
Not all “ bassy-looking ” spots are equal .
“ You might see 30 good-looking areas and find that 25 of them aren ’ t so good ,” McMillan quips . “ If you think you ’ re going to catch 30 pounds in an area with nobody around , forget it .
“ The rule of thumb on Okeechobee is that , as big as it is , only four to six areas hold the quality , tournament-winning fish . During a tournament , 10 guys are working each spot . When two come out , three come in . Boat traffic and fishing pressure can drive fish off the beds . They look for nearby cover to stick their heads under to feel a little more protected .”
Favorite baits and techniques
McMillan designed the MacDaddy Craw for Bruiser Baits with thick mats in mind .
“ It ’ s a small , compact bait made with just the right amount of plastic ,” he says . “ You want a streamlined bait with the right amount of plastic to hold a 4 / 0 hook but not so much as to risk a bad hookset .”
He employs 3 / 4- to 2-ounce Flat Out Tungsten Flipping Weights pegged with a Flat Out Tungsten Bobber Stop to punch through the thick stuff .
“ I use the lightest weight I can get away with , but I don ’ t want to have to shake or jiggle to get the bait through the mat ,” he adds . “ I want it to drop straight down .”
Between prime pitching locations , McMillan will fish a swim jig , frog or toad .
For bass in the “ more extreme prespawn ,” he likes a black-and-gold 5 / 8- ounce YoZuri Rattl ’ n Vibe , a lipless crankbait that he works over shell beds or hard spots in the grass or at the edge of cattails or reed heads .
“ I grind the Vibe on the bottom like a crankbait ,” he says . “ It stands up on the bottom when you pause your retrieve .”
Tips & Tricks :
Use a straight-shank 4 / 0 Spearpoint flipping hook when pitching plastics . The Spearpoint ’ s unconventional design increases hook-up and landing ratios . “ It ’ s not a traditional round-bend hook ,” McMillan says . “ Once you get that hook point in , it ’ s hard for the bass to roll out of it .”
Secure your flipping hook with a snell knot .
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