Proven Hardbait Patterns

In many regions, anglers automatically think “slow” and “soft” for spring bass fishing. While plinking tubes and stickbaits certainly lures bites, you may be missing the bigger picture. During all phases of spring, bass can occupy depths from just a few feet down to 20 or more. While the trend is toward the shallows where spawning eventually will take place, chilly weather may vacuum bass from shallow habitat. For that reason, spring bass fishing often means covering water of different depths and cover types, typically wood, grass, or rock. Crankbaits excel for depth control and their fishlike profiles attract prespawn bass searching for a few good meals. Traditionally, flat-sided crankbaits have been cherished for spring bass, with fatter baits reserved for summer. But there’s more to this system.

Early Spring Patterns: Early in the Prespawn Period, deep-diving cranks are great for scouring middepth ledges and deep flats with remaining vegetation, where bass can be intercepted on their way to the shallows. The key is to find coverts where bass want to hole up for the time, maybe a couple days, maybe even a week. But best of all, bass tend to use particular spots year after year at this time, provided current, cover, and water levels aren’t drastically different. So what you find now may pay dividends for years.

Crank a big diver down to work the 10- to 16-foot zone where bass often stage when water remains in the low-50°F range, provided it’s clear. Their large profile appeals to bigger bass looking for sizeable meals, such as adult shad. As usual with cranks, banging off stumps or timber, or ripping through deep weeds often triggers strikes. And when one bass commits, you may catch a half-dozen during the ensuing flurry.

In sunny conditions, bass in clear lakes and reservoirs often move closer to the surface where they hold among standing timber or at the top of grassbeds. In this situation, flat-sided baits provide subtle flash in a non-rattling package that often turns on the bite. Many have a coffin-shaped bill that helps them deflect through cover, often drawing strikes after impact.

If spring rains muddy a waterway, bass shift shallower and closer to cover. And wherever waters run murky, shallower patterns prevail. Medium-running baits work well in this situation, particularly with a slow retrieve. Storm Wiggle Warts, Bomber’s 6A and 7A, and Norman’s Deep Little N have long been favorites for the 5- to 8-foot range. Rapala’s DT-10 has carved a niche in this category, and new options like Lucky Craft’s CBMR and the realistic Koppers Live Target Crayfish show promise.

Mid-Prespawn: As waters warm, bass typically shift shallower and at times their holding depths are rather precise. Water temperature and clarity, cover, and prey location affect depth selection, and it’s difficult to predict from one day to the next. Instead, experiment with running depth in prime locations until a pattern arises.

In clear waters, shad-style baits like Rapala’s Shad Rap have a well-deserved reputation for catching prespawn bass. Its thin body and narrow lip provide a natural shimmering action. Among pro anglers, no matter who’s the sponsor, the Shad Rap is a must-have bait. Other excellent tight-wobbling baits include Reef Runner’s Rip Shad, Cotton Cordell’s CC Shad, and the Koppers Shad.

In dark shallow water, stubby, wide-wobbling plugs with square lips deflect around obstructions, while creating a commotion that triggers reaction strikes. Bass pro Bernie Schultz of Florida also fishes shallow bangers around grassbeds in his home state. He recently worked with Rapala in designing the new DT-Fat 3. “It’s a full-bodied, solid balsa bait,” he notes. “Its wide, rolling action attracts bass in dark water. When it contacts a snag, it backs off if you give slack. You can actually fish it through stuff where most anglers would only consider a spinnerbait or a weedless lure.”

For working a bit deeper, Lucky Craft’s BDS baits are depth-signified, with the BDS 3 and 4 popular options, along with the new RC 2.5. Another new option is Sebile’s Crankster MR, a fat-bodied bait, available in Sebile’s Blood Red Series, as well as their Evidence color set. The Blood Red Series contains a reddish oil and a single large BB that sloshes within the cavity, for a unique look as well as sound and vibration pattern. The Crankster’s bill also is unique, separated from the body by a narrow plastic bridge, a feature designer Patrick Sebile considers optimal for vibration and a fine-tuned ride.

Another prespawn pattern that emerges on reservoirs and large rivers is fishing riprap. Bass often move along riprapped bridges and feeder creeks as they shift shallower. They also seek the confined waters of marinas and harbors, where water warms quickly and baitfish often gather. Some fish may eventually spawn in these protected areas as well. Cranking walls with medium-shallow divers like Bandit’s 200, Rapala’s DT-6, Lee Sisson’s Shallow2, and the Bagley Diving Killer B 2 can be a winning approach on many systems. And anytime you get around rock, Bomber’s new 4A is a killer.

Late Prespawn: In most waters, overlap occurs in the timing of the bass spawn, depending on water temperature gradients throughout a large waterway. Just before they begin actual nest building, bass hold along shallow cover and aggressively strike lures worked through it. While worms, soft stickbaits, and the like certainly catch a lot of fish, shallow cranks quickly cover lots of territory and help locate large groups of bass ready to start bedding. Choose small, brightly colored baits that can work in 2 to 4 feet of water. Once spawning begins, cranks rarely are a good option, though again, you may find prespawn bass in other parts of the lake.