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Spring marks the time for bass to travel to the shallows for their yearly ritual of spawning. All bass move shallow to spawn, and it is at this time that unsuspecting bass become more vulnerable and fall prey to an anglers lure. Spawning time is when the bass come to the anglers, instead of the angler having to hunt for the bass. So, where are the bass before they move to their actual spawning grounds?

Reproductive instincts and the pre-spawn actually start in late fall, and involves several stages before the bass travel to their nesting site. Female bass begin developing their roe in the fall, and the eggs will continue to develop through the winter. Spawning behavior is dictated by the length of day, which provides warm sun rays, and in turn increases the water temperature. Days get longer in the spring, and with each day being longer, the water temperatures will rise during the photo period, triggering an urgency in the biological instincts of bass to move toward the spawning grounds. Not all bass spawn at the same on a given lake, and different parts of the country may actually have bass spawning in lower, or higher, water temperatures than other parts of the country. When water temperatures are somewhere between 58 and 62 degrees, the male bass will start searching the shallows for protected nesting sites.

Upper ends of lakes, in northern coves on the west side tend to warm up the quickest because the sun will pour warm rays on these areas for longer periods of the day. Because the lower ends of lakes are deeper, water temperatures may not climb to the desired spawning temperature for quite awhile, therefore it will be the last area on a lake to trigger shallower movement of bass. Bass will normally congregate near the spawning flats, holding in areas that are referred to as staging areas.

Creek channels, ditches, and troughs are used as roadways for traveling toward the shallows. Points are preferred as the primary structure before moving onto the flats. Pockets serve as excellent territory for the actual spawn because they are protected from the eruptive north winds. The earlier spawning bass may encounter strains on their need to move shallow because of volatile weather in early Spring. Cold fronts will play havoc, impeding the process of bass's shallower movements. Usually, when a front blows in dropping the temperatures slightly, bass will drop back to a little deeper holding pattern on the points and breaklines. Points that lead to the warm, protected pockets in coves, will be used by pre-spawn bass as their staging area, and be utilized by bass that are forced a little deeper because of cold fronts, as well as serve as a resting spot for bass after the spawn.

One way to locate these areas, is to study a good topographical map before ever going to the lake. Look at the contour lines, and determine where a good spawning area might be, and then find the creek that comes closest to a secondary point. That will be a text book place to fish!.

Considering the lake remains stable, bass will return year after year to the same area to spawn, therefore the staging and recuperating areas will remain consistent also. Stay in tune with bass movements by watching the shallows for male activity seeking their nesting sites. Check the water temperatures in upper ends of lakes often, and search for the warmest water that can be found. Locate a creek channel with an irregular contour close by that will lead to a flat protected area, and that will be where the staging female bass will be holding.

Sherry Ruslink is a freelance outdoor writer; member of Texas Outdoor Writers Assoc.; owner of Anglers Educational Seminars, specializing in ladies bass fishing classes; and a licensed bass fishing guide on Lake Fork.

She may be contacted at 903-473-1016
E-Mail: ladybass@koyote.com
Or visit Sherry on the web at: http://www.texs.com/ladybass/fork.htm

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