Top 5 Baits For Early Spring Bass Fishing!

Its time to fish for giant bass! Your best shot of the year at a new "Personal Best" has arrived, don't get left behind! The early spring transition to prespawn signals the move toward shallow water. Big fish are moving up, they're feeding, and you can catch them. This isn't the time to slow down and finesse, its time to use a few key baits to hunt the biggest bass of the year!

Early Spring and Prespawn is the time to cover water. You want to focus on baits that will move quickly and that can trigger a feed response from big fish. Even if you're a finesse fisherman the rest of the year, change gears and pick up a crankbait, chatterbait, swimbait, or A-Rig and start targeting those bigger fish. The fish are moving up shallow to feed, they haven't seen as many baits during the Winter, its prime time to catch them. 

Below you'll find links to the related videos Tim mentioned, as well as all the baits discussed in the video. With each bait we've included our favorite colors and any additional components you may need. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 


Related Videos... 

Where Do Bass Go In Early Spring: https://youtu.be/PxQ2yH1fFco

Top Baits For Late Winter Bass Fishing: https://youtu.be/CnOxRnbMV3U

Glide Baits... 

-River2Sea S-Waver 168: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Color: Lite trout

-Baitsanity Antidote: http://bit.ly/2ztUk9z

Colors: Summer Shad, Trout


Alabama Rigs... 

Rig #1- HogFarmer BFL Flex: https://bit.ly/2WtLCVK

Rig #2- G Funk Bladed Cali: http://bit.ly/2rZhST7

Heads- Matt Allen Swimbait 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

Baits- Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v


Lipless Cranks... 

-Lucky Craft LV-500: http://bit.ly/2aAUUbd

Colors: Ghost Minnow, Spring Craw

-Strike King Red Eye Shad: http://bit.ly/2fqX1RT

Color: Delta Red 

-Strike King Red Eye Shad 2 Tap: http://bit.ly/2gmACC5

Color: Delta Red


Deep Cranks... 

-R2S Tactical DD75: http://bit.ly/37dclbX

Colors: Ghost Minnow, Blood Craw

-Spro Rk Crawler 55: http://bit.ly/2BLmsVN

Colors: Red Crawfish, Phantom Watermelon


Squarebills... 

-River2Sea Biggie Poppa: http://bit.ly/2ahCzvo

Colors: Cold Blooded, TS Minnow

-Spro Little John 50 Type R: http://bit.ly/3j0GS3a

Colors: Rayburn Red, Nasty Shad


Chatterbaits...

Bait- Z Man Jackhammer 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2popvj6

Colors: Green pumpkin Shad, Fire Craw

Trailer- HogFarmer Spunk Shad: http://bit.ly/2UFkCD7

Colors: Tennessee Magic, Green Pumpkin


Jerkbaits... 

-Rapala Shadow Rap Deep: http://bit.ly/3aerPi6

Colors: Moss Back Shiner

-Megabass Vision 110: http://bit.ly/2j31TKb

Colors: GP Pro Blue 2, Illusion Tennessee Shad


Favorite A-Rig Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'5" Heavy: https://bit.ly/3aeQbYW

**The Zodias Rod Can Be Backordered and should arrive soon**

Reel- Shimano Curado 200K (HG): http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC-100 Shock Leader 20 lb: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


Budget Crankbait Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Fury 7' Medium Heavy Cranking: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Shimano SLX 150 XT: http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

Line- Sunline Assassin 12 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Budget Glidebait Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Fury 7'9" Medium Heavy Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Shimano Curado 300K: https://bit.ly/2HbZ3E4

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC100 Shock Leader 30 lb: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Want TacticalBassin Apparel?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

top 5 baits early spring web.jpg

Where Do Bass Go In EARLY Spring? And How To Catch Them Before The PreSpawn!

The Fish are on the move! If your fish haven't already begun to transition, its coming! If you're not ready they'll vanish completely and tracking them down again before the spawn is almost impossible without an understanding of their migration. Where are they headed, where will they stop along the way, and how can you catch them when they do? Come along, and we'll show you. 

Different styles of fisheries progress differently. You need to figure out if you are fishing a river, a Delta, a natural lake, a highland reservoir, or a lowland reservoir. Depending which style you're on, the movements will vary. Luckily, we're explaining the movement in each one of these fisheries today. As your fish begin to move, you need to understand their ultimate goal is transition toward spawning flats. With that in mind you can identify the nearest spawning grounds to where your fish have been, then identify the key spots along the way the fish will stop on to feed. 

As you're focusing on fishing the key structures along the migration route there are key baits you should be focusing your time on. Use baits that cover water quickly, have significant drawing power, and can trigger a feed response. Below you'll find links to all of our favorite options for this transition into the prespawn. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 


Glide Baits... 

-River2Sea S-Waver 168: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Color: Lite trout

-Baitsanity Antidote: http://bit.ly/2ztUk9z

Colors: Summer Shad, Trout


Alabama Rigs... 

Rig #1- HogFarmer BFL Flex: https://bit.ly/2WtLCVK

Rig #2- G Funk Bladed Cali: http://bit.ly/2rZhST7

Heads- Matt Allen Swimbait 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

Baits- Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v


Lipless Cranks... 

-Lucky Craft LV-500: http://bit.ly/2aAUUbd

Colors: Ghost Minnow, Spring Craw

-Strike King Red Eye Shad: http://bit.ly/2fqX1RT

Color: Delta Red 

-Strike King Red Eye Shad 2 Tap: http://bit.ly/2gmACC5

Color: Delta Red


Deep Cranks... 

-R2S Tactical DD75: http://bit.ly/37dclbX

Colors: Ghost Minnow, Blood Craw

-Spro Rk Crawler 55: http://bit.ly/2BLmsVN

Colors: Red Crawfish, Phantom Watermelon


Squarebills... 

-River2Sea Biggie Poppa: http://bit.ly/2ahCzvo

Colors: Cold Blooded, TS Minnow

-Spro Little John 50 Type R: http://bit.ly/3j0GS3a

Colors: Rayburn Red, Nasty Shad


Chatterbaits...

Bait- Z Man Jackhammer 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2popvj6

Colors: Green pumpkin Shad, Fire Craw

Trailer- HogFarmer Spunk Shad: http://bit.ly/2UFkCD7

Colors: Tennessee Magic, Green Pumpkin


Jerkbaits... 

-Rapala Shadow Rap Deep: http://bit.ly/3aerPi6

Colors: Moss Back Shiner

-Megabass Vision 110: http://bit.ly/2j31TKb

Colors: GP Pro Blue 2, Illusion Tennessee Shad


Favorite A-Rig Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'5" Heavy: https://bit.ly/3aeQbYW

**The Zodias Rod Can Be Backordered and should arrive soon**

Reel- Shimano Curado 200K (HG): http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC-100 Shock Leader 20 lb: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


Budget Crankbait Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Fury 7' Medium Heavy Cranking: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Shimano SLX 150 XT: http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

Line- Sunline Assassin 12 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Budget Glidebait Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Fury 7'9" Medium Heavy Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Shimano Curado 300K: https://bit.ly/2HbZ3E4

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC100 Shock Leader 30 lb: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Want TacticalBassin Apparel?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

where do they go in early spring web.jpg

Post Spawn Crankbait Fishing Tricks - Speed Cranking For Aggressive Bass!

Forget the way you fish crankbaits! If you're not speed cranking in the post spawn, you're missing an amazing opportunity to catch big bass. Its all about TRIGGERING a reaction strike. Whether you're a Southern Largemouth guy or a Northern Smallmouth guy, you have an amazing opportunity right now to force feed your crankbaits to the bass. The crank's ability to fire up a feeding frenzy is second to none as bass are moving toward their Summer haunts and you don't want to miss it!

This technique works incredibly well this time of year. It doesn't matter if your fish are 20' deep feeding on outside ledges or 2' deep on shallow rock bars. The method works in both scenarios, you just need to adapt the specific baits to maintain the speed at different depths. We find that carrying a variety of squarebill crankbaits, mid divers, and deep divers will allow you to adapt to changing conditions. Also, traditional knowledge would encourage using ghost colors in clear water but we've found that during this period you can see incredible results fishing bold colors like Chartreuse or chartreuse/Blue, even in gin clear water. 

Below you'll find a breakdown of the baits and equipment Matt discussed along with size and color recommendations. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Summer Bait... 

-Strike King 6XD: http://bit.ly/2ery44M

Colors: Chart Sexy Shad, Powder Blue Back Chart

Squarebills... 

-Strike King KVD HC 1.0 Squarebill: http://bit.ly/2Pz3HvE

Colors- The Shizzle, Summer Sexy Shad

-Lucky Craft BDS-3: http://bit.ly/2blTVwI

Colors- Golden Shiner, Ghost Minnow

-Damiki BTC 60: https://bit.ly/35yagXK

Colors- Baby Bow, Threadfin Flash

Deep Cranks... 

-River2Sea Tactical Crank DD 75: http://bit.ly/37dclbX

Colors- Metallic Shad, Natural Gill

-Megabass Deep X 300: http://bit.ly/2sSQHpt

Colors- See Through Chart, Blue Back Matte Chart, Sexy Ayu

-Norman Deep Little N: http://bit.ly/2acSLUd

Colors- Chart/Blue, Chartreuse Shad, Nutter Shad


Mid Cranks...

-Norman Deep Baby N: http://bit.ly/2O9CAcu

Colors- Chart Blue, Nutter Shad, Sexy Shad

-SPRO Rock Crawler 55: http://bit.ly/2BLmsVN

Colors- Phantom Green, Missouri Craw, MudBug

Hook and Split Ring Upgrades... 

-Owner Hyperwire Size 3 Split Rings: http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX

-Owner ST-56 Size 4 Trebles: http://bit.ly/2cVg7xW

-Gamakatsu EWG Size 4 Trebles: http://bit.ly/2cZrsbY

Fluorocarbon Crankbait Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 906 CBR (7'6" MH): http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Reel- Shimano Bantam MGL 150 XG: http://bit.ly/2H44yjG

Line- Sunline Assassin Fluorocarbon 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Braid Crankbait Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 845 CBR (7'6" MH): http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Reel- Shimano Bantam MGL 150 HG: http://bit.ly/2H44yjG

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 20 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 12 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

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Spring Fluke and Jerkbait Tricks To Catch More Bass!

Learn how to adapt to changing conditions during a day of fishing a clear water reservoir with Matt. He starts out with a Zoom Super Fluke on a Texas Rig but is soon mixing it up with traditional jerkbaits and the nose-hook rig (Banjo Minnow Rig) as he adapts from a cold morning to a slick calm, warm afternoon. 

A jerkbait is incredibly versatile if you know how to adapt it to changing conditions. We were able to catch fish on a cold morning with a slow retrieve around this cover then switched to a Vision 110 Jr. to match the size of baitfish being ambushed by schooling bass. Ultimately it required a drop to 8 lb fluorocarbon and a small nose-hook rig to catch fish in clear water that were ambushing on an aggressive retrieve. Few baits are as adaptable as the jerkbait. 

Below is a breakdown of all the gear Matt was using throughout the day. We've included direct links to Tackle Warehouse for the baits, hooks, and gear. We also included links to some of our previous underwater and fluke rigging videos that will help you adapt traditional jerkbaits and soft jerkbaits to the conditions.

The Baits... 

-Zoom Super Fluke (Electric Shad): http://bit.ly/2aqys0H

Other Colors: Pro Blue Red Pearl, Smoking Shad

-Megabass Vision 110 Jr. (GP Pro Blue): http://bit.ly/2OeAFBf

Other Colors: Clear Laker, Tennessee Shad

-Keitech 2.8 Fat Swimbait (TW Pro Blue): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Texas Rig Hooks... 

Faster Sink- Gamakatsu EWG Superline 4/0: http://bit.ly/2ac92XG

Slower Sink- Gamakatsu EWG 4/0: http://bit.ly/2d07gvp

Nose Hook Rig... 

Hook- Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap Size 1/0: http://bit.ly/2aKGmHM

Weedless Hook- Gamakatsu Weedless Finesse Wide Gap 1/0: http://bit.ly/2i57dOP

Nose Screw- Owner CPS Spring Medium: http://bit.ly/2b2YgDf

Texas Rig Fluke Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'2" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Shimano Curado 150 DC HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- 50 lb Power Pro Maxcuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 15 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Jerkbait Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium (Backorder Available): http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL HG: http://bit.ly/2uQ4oH8

Line- Sunline Assassin 12 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Nose Hook Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX 872S JWR: http://bit.ly/2dX9zjv

Reel- Shimano Twin Power FD 3000: https://bit.ly/3df3hX5

Line- Sunline XPlasma Asegai 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2OR5i2j

Leader- Sunline Sniper 8 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

jerkbait web.jpg