The 7 Step Program
The 7 Step Program
By Craig De Fronzo
I am not soley a light tackle angler. Although I would rather fish light to attract more bites, I have developed an intricate approach to finding fish on a year round basis. The first ring of this formula revolves around season. Let's take a look at how bass are located on a seasonal basis to get a better understanding on how to find them consistently.
Step 1 Seasonal Approach
Winter
Winter is a period of year that is the most uncomfortable to anglers. For this reason, many fisherman fall back to the comforts of indoor recreation until the weather again becomes tolerable. The cold slows fish down but doesn’t turn them off all together. Any angler who chooses to put in the time can effectively extend the season and expect to catch bass. Despite what many anglers believe, bass do actually eat during the coldest parts of the year. This does occur less frequently than in warmer months though. If you choose to target cold water bass, you should prepare yourself, not only for the cold but perhaps for some big fish. Winter largemouth bass move to deeper water but contrary to what many would think, really do not hold in extremely deep locations. Look for bass to hold off of channels and main lake point in about 10 to 20 feet of water. A key is access to deeper water. I commonly catch bass that hold right on the edges of a deep drop. This would be my target area. Find the drops, explore the drops, find the fish.
Take into consideration that during this period, you should drastically slow your retrieve to match the neutral or even negative mood of the fish. I employ only two baits in my winter fishing arsenal. The first might be the ultimate slow bait, the jig n pig. Two frames of thought here, a small bait in cold water might induce more strikes but a big bait may appeal more to a fish that doesn’t want to expend a lot of energy to obtain a meal. Which do you go with? For the sake of this light tackle book, I often go with the smaller option in up to 1/4oz. I go with a MMT Grass Jig in Black/Blue/Purple. I tip the jig with plastic most of the time but in extremely cold water, I’ll go with pork that I soak in a garlic scent. I use a 2” chunk that is thinner than traditional pork baits. Jig’s are such an effective bait because the can be fished slowly. They can also penetrate heavy cover. When jigging in 15 feet of water with a lighter, bulky jig, you must be sure you actually wait long enough for the jig to get down to the target. Obviously a 3/8oz or 1/2oz jig would get down more rapidly but here you would need to significantly beef up your tackle. I still feel that the lighter line will generate more strikes in the cold water.
The other bait I use is a single Colorado blade spinner bait. I slow roll this bait. This means I swim it down to its target rather than drop it straight down. Here you cast the bait and simply slowly start to reel it in as it sinks. This movement spins the blade despite the snail like pace of the retrieve. Again, keep in mind you are targeting a specific object or area with this bait. It is effective when you can actually bump the bait into or off of something. Keeping the blades turning is also very important. Although most anglers slow roll with a larger bait, I opt for a 1/4oz model with a size 3 Colorado blade. This provides more than enough flash and thump. When you slow roll, you are letting your reel do all of the work. You are not using the rod and adjusting angles and hopping or twitching the bait. This bait is also a good indicator of the cover or bottom you are fishing. If you pull up some weeds, you can count the bait down so that you are fishing it just above those weeds and occasionally ticking them. This is important because even in cold water, the deeper vegetation can be alive and green rather than dying brown like you see in the fall.
I don’t feel that in winter temperature fluctuations are really all that important. This will likely go against the grain of what many anglers believe or read. I look at it like this. Through out the winter temperatures fluctuate almost daily. If you have 40 degree weather for several days, a drop or increase will likely be minimal. This in turn likely does not even change the water temperature and if it does go up or down a degree, it will not trigger significant activity responses by fish. I stress that this is my feeling in regard to slight increases and decreases. Extreme changes may actually influence increased or decreased activity. I will say that I feel certain types of structure can actually hold and radiate heat thus causing fish to hold near them taking advantage of this phenomenon. Rock or cement structures will warm up quicker than any other structure. Knowing this, I look for bridges, bluffs, boulders and cement retaining walls. These areas can warm up fast even on a cold day. It is all relative to the amount of penetration by the sunlight. A few days of consistent sunlight can really spark fish to gravitate to the rocks.
Within the last few years, I’ve significantly upgrading my winter fishing techniques. Although I love to throw jigs and slow roll spinner baits, the drop shot method has almost taken over my cold water fishing. Drop shot fishing is true finesse fishing. It is a great presentation any time of the year but I find it is one of my most consistent cold water methods. I stick with my standard drop shot rod and 6lb line. If you want to fish vertically, I suggest a heavier weight. I don’t use more than a 3/16oz weight at any time, even if I’m working 20ft of water. I prefer the round or bell shaped sinkers with the clips. The longer mojo style clip weight may give you a false indicator of a strike as the settle horizontally on the bottom. They do not stand up. If my electronics tell me that bass are holding a few feet off of the bottom, I will adjust my bait to match that specific holding depth. Under warmer water conditions, I regularly space the bait about 18 inches about the weight. In cold water, you may have the bait 5 feet up the line. The drop shot can be fished very slowly and in the winter it is a necessity. I really got into the drop shot in 2000. In 2002, I took a trip to Missouri in early winter and fished several big time waters. The fish were deep and definitely in their winter locations. A drop shot rig really shined at catching these fish consistently.
Ice Out Bass
If you live in the North, you can relate. Just when you start to pull your hair out because of the long off season, the ice begins to melt. Even though it is still very cold, there is something significant about the first soft water of the season. Many anglers won’t venture out let alone think about fishing the frigid waters. If the thoughts of having a lake all to yourself and catching bass that are often aggressive intrigue you, this might be for you.
Many anglers feel that bass become active once the water temperature gets to a specific level. I’m not so sure I agree. In fact I’ll disagree as I have experienced some ice out bass fishing that rivaled some of the most intense days for late spring or fall. Perhaps the fish have cabin fever too. They welcome the melting ice and become active very quickly. Consider that the growth season in the Northern states is considerably shorter due to the cold weather. Bass get an early jump on the season by becoming active sooner than many anglers think. I’ve caught fish while half the pond was still covered in ice. The water temperatures couldn’t be warmer than 35 degrees or so but the action can be furious. Fishing this time of year extends the season and can be really productive.
Ice out fishing is kind of a take what you can take deal. You often are limited to parts of the water that are not covered by ice. In the event that the ice is off of the water, the fishing gets more difficult with winter structure patterns dictating some of the locations where bass will be. I target areas that I think heat up quicker and in turn draw fish in to take advantage of the warmth.
Ice Out Baits
Rooster Tail Spinner This little inline is deadly for cold water ice out bass. I use either 1/8oz or 1/6oz in gray or white Small Jig N Pig Micro Munch Tackle has been making the best light tackle jig n pigs around since 1995. Black/Blue or Black/Brown are my favorite for cold water in 1/8 or 1/16oz Hair Jig Because of my fondness for Float N Fly fishing, the hair jig is an obvious selection for me. Here I don’t use a float and I spend more time with the bait resting on the bottom. Pick ups are light but bass love these little jigs
Hailey’s Killer Komet This little 1/8oz bait is a quality lure but for Ice out bass I use a single deep cup Colorado blade. I slow roll the bait down and work it on the bottom at a snails crawl
Beetle Spin This little bait is a great cold water bait. It is tiny and can be fished very slowly. I change the beetle body and instead opt for a Branson Bug style body with twin tails and little appendages. It give the bait more bulk and allows me to fish it very slowly.
The important thing to remember here is this time of the year dictates the slowest retrieves you likely will ever use. Sometimes the bass will be super active and just crush your offerings but most times they are very hard to detect.
Spring
Spring, the time of year that gets all anglers out of their cabin fever doldrums. Although I’ve been on the water for a few months already, the spring is a welcomed season that brings with it predictable changes in bass and the weather. In spring, water temperature is the key. Find the warmest water and you will find the most active bass. Make a few runs to specific areas on your lake to do some temperature readings. Start with a measurement at any inflow or feeder creek. These can bring in warm water during the spring and cool water when the lake water is warm. These creeks are really good places to check after a few days of warm spring rain. The temperatures here remain fairly constant. Since waters are usually at their highest levels in spring, check around newly flooded areas in extremely shallow water. If these areas are protected from the wind but offer some good sunlight, this is a surefire area. The spring can be broken down into several mini periods.
Pre spawn
Spring brings gradually warming water and air temperatures and longer periods of daylight. With this, bass begin to move up towards shallower areas. Bass use migration routes to slowly emerge from their cold water winter haunts. The 55 degree temperature is the magic temperature for me. This indicates that bass movement is now getting serious as fish are waiting for a combination of moon phase and warmer water to get them going. This doesn’t necessarily occur in one day though. Bass congregate on deeper points while making their way to the shallows. Here they bunch up. The bass may stage or hold on these points for a while before entering the shallows. They will eat and prepare for their spawning rituals while waiting for the temperatures to heat up the shallows. As the water gets warmer and bass get more daring, they spend more time running into and out of the shallows foraging. Targeting areas that have quick access to deep and shallow water are good points for you to start during this time frame. Look for areas that get the most sun as these will heat up faster and encourage accelerated spawning when other locations of the lake will be lagging behind. This also helps you extend your spring season by targeting populations of fish that are in different stages. If you are keying in on staging bass, take note that they are most often located in very close proximity to the shallow waters where they will spawn.
Locating staging bass can mean you will catch some of the biggest fish of the year. I use a slow to mid speed bait to get bites. I often start off split shotting a lizard across a staging point. I can alternate my retrieve and crawl it slowly if necessary. If I feel the fish want a dead slow presentation, I go to a jig n pig or a 4” tube. In the case that the bass want something a little faster, I break out a 4.5” hard jerk bait that I can suspend right on top of them. I am targeting fish in 8 to 12 feet of water here. These fish are just about ready to spawn, they are just waiting for the final sign. They will still eat at this time so you can bet they are a bit easier to catch once located. Keep these areas in mind and take note of their locations because these bass will use them in the post spawn too.
This is the time of year that I break out my thermometer and actively take readings. The change of only a few degrees can mean that you will find active fish or that the fish you caught yesterday moved. During this period most of the lake will be in the mid to high 50’s. A little scouting might find water in the low 60’s which will definitely produce active fish. Bass are creatures of habit and will use the same spawning and staging areas year after year.
I mentioned earlier that most bass are waiting to move up and spawn. These fish are waiting for something to trigger that phase. Usually the full moon is what gets bass spawning in full swing. I use the lunar tables to point out when the full moon will occur in the warm parts of spring. When I determine the moon is close to being full, I start fishing more methodical to catch these bigger pre spawn fish five days prior and right up until the full moon.
The Spawn
When the temperature reaches about 62 degrees, the big female bass move in and set their sights on bedding. I target areas that have hard bottom and good sunlight penetration. If the area offers protection from gusty winds, it is even better. These spots will warm up faster and hold fish longer during the spawn. Not all bass move up at the same time. Bass spawn in waves that likely are dictated by moon phase. This ensures that a cold front will not take out a whole year class of fish. It is nature’s way of guaranteeing spawning success.
Bass on the beds are notorious for nipping short on many baits. I do not think eating is very important to them during this time. Defending their nest is the big priority in the spring. Rarely will they just take a bait in. They may simply pick up a worm by the tip of the tail and drag it off of the bed out of harms way. During this time bass have to be annoyed into striking baits. Repeated casts to the bed eventually take their toll and the fish will lash out in anger and blast a bait. Remember, the bass can suck in and spit out in lightning quickness. You must be sharp and in tune with your bait.
Forget what you’ve been told about salamanders and bass eggs. I don’t think that salamanders are natural enemies to bass. The real fact is that the salamanders are very plentiful in the shallows due to spawning of their own and the increase of contact between the two species leads to a foraging opportunity that bass do not have at any other time of the year.
I’m not much of a bed fisherman. I don’t like to bother these creatures when they are doing their most important function in life. If you choose to molest them when they are bedding, do so with minimal handling and absolutely release any fish you may catch. Give these guys a little respect and let them do their thing. It will only reward you with good fishing for years to come.
If I am looking to catch a spawning fish, I opt for only a couple of baits. The number one bait for me is a small 1/16oz hair jig. I like either a float and fly jig or a rabbit hair jig. This bait is so small that when a bass sucks it in, it usually gets all of the bait in its mouth. I use only jigs with needle sharp points so a quick pop of the wrist is all it takes to set. White is my favorite color at this time. This is because I can see it. When I can’t see it, it is because a bass has it in its mouth. If I sense that a bass wants nothing to do with my jig, I’ll drop the jig on the fish, forcing it to move. I’ll do this a few times until it gets really irritated. This will cause the fish to bite. Take note, I am not attempting to foul hook the fish, I just want to annoy it. I will also use small tubes, a small jig n pig and the SS worm by Green Eyes Worm Works.
Sight Fishing
Perhaps I get no greater challenge than the one presented to me as I stalk fish I can see. It can be rewarding and frustrating at the same time. Here I must do everything right, not only spot the bass, but make sure I use a stealthy approach so that fish does not see me and spook. Next I must present the bait in a flawless manner to a fish I’m not even sure wants to eat. There are so many variables to sight fishing.
Sight fishing generally applies to clear water but as long as I can see a fish, the water color isn’t important to me. I grew up fishing gin clear waters for smallmouth bass and crystal clear ponds for largemouth bass. Both offered me excellent sight fishing opportunities. I learned at a very early age that I must dress and move with stealth in mind. I concentrated on this so much that it has become natural to me. It is a habit now.
This type of fishing is by no means bed fishing. Spring is a good time to sight fish because fish are found throughout the shallows but I do not purposely target bedding fish. There are plenty of other fish to attempt to catch at this time.
A good pair of polarized sun glasses is important to success. You can get some very good polarized glasses from Hobie or Solar Bat. These will help you see fish by reducing the glare as you looking into the water. They block UV rays and protect your eyes. If nothing else, glasses are good eye protection. Sight fishing is a light tackle tactic. You really must consider your gear so you do not give your position away or spook fish. Thinner line and smaller baits are mandatory. Slowly scan the area for any strange shadows or movements.
Shallow Water Sight Fishing Baits
1/16oz Micro Munch Jig 2/0 Mustad Black Nickel needlepoint hook
Salty Stinker SS worm Hand poured salted scented stick bait
2 ?” Wicked Tube Mini 1/16oz Gamakatsu tube head, small fat tube
1/16oz Craft hair or rabbit hair jig Gamakatsu hook-White
Post Spawn
Here is a time of spring where many anglers become frustrated and confused. After experiencing some of the best angling of the year, all of a sudden the bass seem to shut totally down. One of the signs I look for is the disappearance of the big female bass from the shallows. Instead, you will see tons of fry skittering on the surface and usually a smaller male bass left to guard them. This male bass is extremely aggressive and will hit virtually any lure that threatens his brood. The post spawn occurs when the water temperature rises about 70 degrees. There will be a few stragglers but for the most part, most of the bass have done what nature intended them to and have left the area.
The larger females move back out to the sanctuary of their staging areas to recuperate from the rigors of the spawn. They may head for deeper water and hold there for a week or more. One thing I should mention is that these fish seem to be scattered and not as concentrated as in pre spawn. The action is definitely slower during this period. I feel that if you can target the weed lines around those staging areas, you have a good shot at catching post spawn bass.
Spring Bass Movements
Below 45 degrees Bass are in their winter holding locations. Generally in 20 to 25 feet on northern lakes.
45 to 55 degrees Bass leave their winter holding areas and move up migration routes. They will stop and hold on points and other areas that feature access to both deep and shallow water.
55 to 60 degrees During this period, the initial phase of bass moved in to spawn. Not all of the fish move in though. Many fish are staging on points.
60 to 70 degrees This period sees the most activity as far as bass movement is concerned. Large numbers of fish are moving to or leaving the area.
Over 70 degrees The female bass are done spawning now and move back out to the staging areas to recuperate.
Summer
The heat of summer sometimes turns many anglers off and forces some to retreat for more comfortable locales. This is one of those periods of time that anglers should learn to tolerate in order to cash in on good catches of bass. Despite the heat, you can still expect some good catches. You have more options available to you. With the warmth comes the ability to fish earlier and later in the day. To me, that doesn’t matter much. I prefer to fish at the hottest points of the mid day sun. I find that the majority of my larger fish come during this period. The summer period is in full swing when the water is between 75 degrees and 90 degrees. The summer brings the most consistent weather and bass are less affected by frontal conditions and weather changes. The water temperature will fluctuate less during this time of year.
When you attempt to pattern summer bass, you must keep some things in mind. The first and most important consideration is that the increased temperature has the bass’ metabolic rate at its absolute highest point of the year. This translates into more caloric intake and increased feeding. To me this means that bass will be more willing to hit baits despite the heat. Bass are very active in the early morning and evening but they can consistently be caught during the hottest times of the day.
Rather than actively pursuing bait, I think that the bass change modes and rely more on capitalizing on ambush opportunities. I look to pattern bass during the high heat of the day by searching for shady areas and objects that create shade. Bass use shade more during this bright sunny midday time than at any other period. During the summer, I target shade almost exclusively. Shade can be cast from many objects. As the day progresses, shade actually moves around causing fish to follow. Many anglers who dare to fish in the hot weather choose to target deep water fish. This can prove successful but I feel that no matter what time of year or conditions, some fish always remain shallow. I would rather target these shallow fish. The percentages are more in my favor to locate and catch shallow bass. This approach takes advantage of the shade pattern. I concentrate on the shady side of visible cover.
The warmer months tend to see oxygen depletion in some of the lakes we fish. I naturally target any water that has some current. The moving water brings cooler temperatures, oxygenated water and even forage. When searching for current, I check all inflows and feeder creeks. The current doesn’t have to be ripping, it just has to be a trickle to turn fish on. I’ve seen storm drain pipes that offer drops of water be loaded with fish stacked up just beneath them. The combination of current and mid current breaks that provide shade can be hot spots for fish activity. I sometimes attempt to make my way to the head waters of a lake or river system. This generally offers cooler, clearer water to the fish.
Look for the wind to stir things up in the middle of any sunny day. Wave action created by wind alters light penetration and draws fish out of cover to forage. Take advantage of this by fishing the areas where the waves are crashing near the shoreline. The wind and wave movement funnels baitfish that can’t swim against the current in predictable locations. The bass will be nearby taking advantage of this. I use spinner baits or shallow crank baits most often in this situation. This also oxygenates the water.
Some of the lakes and ponds I fish are very small and don’t have deep water for fish to retreat to. In summer, I will target weed lines and floating vegetation in these shallow waters. This is where the shade pattern really comes into play.
Summer Time Locations and Baits
Early Morning Fish will be more willing to roam and chase bait. I like to throw top water baits to the edges of floating vegetation. I follow up and missed blow ups with a soft jerk bait.
Mid Day Fish change and become more shade oriented. If the water is calm with no chop, I tend to fish jigs or small worms and pitch them to the shady sides of visible cover. A little wind or wave action is prime for using spinner baits or buzzers. If I feel that bass are looking for cooler water, I travel to the head waters where temperatures are generally cooler and the water is more oxygenated.
Early Evening As the sun sets, bass will again start to chase bait and become more active. I’l use top waters, worms and spinner baits.
Night Night time is the time for using big top water baits and buzzers.
Fall
Here is one period of the year that can be feast or famine. With the onset of hunting season, the fall is a great time of year to be on the water and often times, you can have it all to yourself. With the falling water temperatures, bass and bait head shallow again and provide some intense action until the weather gets really cold. The fall period is upon us when the water temperatures drop below 70 degrees and continue to plummet into the low 50’s. I don’t know if bass actually sense the upcoming cold and instinctively fatten up. They definitely come alive and the fall fishing can be an exciting time to catch some bigger fish.
In the fall, the bait fish and living weeds are the key to locating and catching bass. Fall bass chase bait into the backs of creeks and coves. As the water temperature drops to almost winter conditions, bass will swim out and hang on creek channels and ledges just outside of these creeks. Bass will school up here and herd bait near the surface. This schooling can be fast and furious. The bass will bust the bait for a short period of time only to switch off and stop hitting altogether. Sometimes larger bass will be below the schoolies picking off the scraps that sink below the action. Light jigging spoons up to 1/4oz will score on schooling fish. A grub rigged on a jig head is also a good option.
My shallow water approach to fall fishing revolves around the ability to find live green weeds. Bass and bait will gravitate to these live weeds that still oxygenate the water. Bait fish are plentiful and the green weeds will hold them. Bass will be very close by as well. I use two baits for the majority of my fall fishing. I combine a one two punch of a 3/16oz spinner bait and a Bagley’s Honey B crank bait. Occasionally I will throw a tube when the water gets really cold. In the fall I target the green weeds if I can find them. I also look for irregularities in the bank. I firmly believe the action stays hot until Early December on my waters. I’ll catch bass in 2 to 5 feet of water until then.
I always did some fall fishing but the last 5 years have really been great learning experiences for me. On a recent trip I was fishing a small 10 acre pond that remained fairly shallow throughout. It featured shallow flat shoreline areas that gradually crept into deeper water of about 8ft. The water temperature was cold, about 45 degrees on this November day. The pond was dead calm and the water exceptionally clear. Even in my 5mm Neoprene waders, I could feel the cold. I was glad that I was dry. I had broken my hand in late September and was only days away from a surgery that would knock me out for the rest of the year so I decided to make the most of my time and do some late season bass fishing. With little mobility in my strong hand, I made a few adjustments to make my fishing a little easier. The first was eliminating the need to retie often. My reel was spooled with 20/6 Sea King Ultra Smoke. This super line had proven itself to me over the course of the season. I was sure I could rear back and set the hook so I felt it was necessary to use a method that featured a steady reeling retrieve. As I slowly made my way through the shallows I took note of the tremendous amount of bait in the water. I started out attempting to find some decent weed growth but it had all but disappeared.
There were fry everywhere. Perhaps this was a late fall yellow perch spawn. I also noticed that there was very little other movement in the shallows. This I thought was strange. When I moved, I didn’t notice any fish moving off away from me. I started casting my 3/16oz chartreuse purple spinner bait towards the middle of the pond. About 5 minutes in I got my first fish, a small keeper that hit fairly hard despite the cold. I moved along and picked up a few more fish out in the open. As I approached a large concrete drainage pipe that had a stand of cat tails on the shoreline bordering it, I made my casts parallel to the shoreline. The first cast saw a large wake speed towards the bait and my rod doubled over. This was a good fish and in a short time I had a 3lb plus bass tail walking on the surface. I could have left and been happy but I stayed, after all, I had only been fishing for about 20 minutes and only moved about 150 feet from where I started. I continued to work this area and the fish cooperated. I made my way around he pond in about an hour and captured over 40 bass.
As I returned to the starting point the wind had begun to kick up and although I contemplated leaving, I just couldn’t leave the fish biting. As strange as it seemed to me, despite the chop on the water, the bite turned off as the wind began to howl. I couldn’t believe that I experienced almost suicidal bass action for an hour and now not a single bass would hit my bait. I had to find a new pattern. I scoured my small light tackle box and decided I would attempt a deeper water presentation. I tied on a chartreuse belly black back Bagley Honey B and cast towards the center on the pond. I slowed my retrieve down to almost a stand still. On my first cast I had a violent strike and swept the rod sideways to set the hook. The fish was almost pulsing and I swore this was no largemouth bass. As I got the fish in closer I could see the green and orange of a yellow perch. The thing was that I had rarely if ever saw a perch this big. I took the hook out of a 16 inch perch and continued fishing. The cooling of the water had me switching my retrieves in order to find one the fish want. I start slow and essentially let the bass tell me how they want the bait presented to them. I gradually increase my retrieve or alter it until I find what the fish want. This can include pauses or sharp jerks. For the next hour I took big yellows and bass on alternating casts. The perch definitely hit harder but fought different. I knew immediately upon hook up which was on the end of my line. I found that if I slowed the bait down, the perch would hit it. If I cranked in faster, the bass would hit it. This was a good learning experience and I was happy to discover a new pattern that kept my fishing alive. It was also good to find a population of giant yellow perch as I didn’t catch one under 12 inches the whole time. This pattern held for the next few days as I rode it to success until I couldn’t fish any longer due to my surgery.
Keep in mind that the water temperature was very cold at 45 degrees. Despite this the bass were extremely active. I was not targeting isolated cover or even visible cover. The fish I was catching shallow were keying in on those plentiful bait fish. They would sit undetected a short distance away from the bait and then simply blast through them when they wanted to feed. I tried Slider worms and tubes on these outings. They did take some fish but the hard baits prevailed and out produced them by such a large margin that I quickly abandoned the soft plastics altogether.
|
