The Best Time to Fish for Bass Broken Down by Season
Just before they immerse fully into the spawn, they partake in a feeding frenzy of protein-heavy food like crawfish that help the female bass develop eggs. Statewide bass club tournament datashows anglers in reservoirs enjoy their best catches in May after most spawning is finished. Hey, so much of the information here will definitely apply in Northern California. But, everywhere that lacks a big change of season won’t have to worry as much about the slowing down of bass activity.
Again, fish are slower in the early spring after they’ve been mostly dormant for a long winter. If you want to catch them now, you’ll have to match their speed. Start with moving your bait around more slowly than usual, so they’re still willing to go after it. When you feel a bite, wait an extra second to set the hook and then just pull up and tighten the line and start to reel it in. Siletz River ChinookOn the coast, fall salmon fishing begins to pick up in the bays and estuaries in late August or early September. These fisheries will begin to move upriver once fall rains have raised river levels enough to draw fish in.
Whatever the season, there’s bound to be good fishing somewhere in Oregon. Spring Chinook, summer bass, fall trout and winter steelhead – just some of the choices you’ll face. Catching bass during spawn is a unique challenge due to the change in their behavior and energy. The fish slow way down and focus on only staying and protecting their nest.
Night fishing is always a good time considering the lack of other fishermen disturbing the fish and the ability for bass to see in low light. Fish prefer bait like minnows or shiners in these early hours, and also respond well to artificial shoreline lures such as topwater poppers or plugs. This also means you can have some luck catching bass in the middle of a rainy day when clouds cover up the sun.
“@KevinThorn: @CaptMarciano when does the new season start??”fishing no airs in spring I assume
— Capt. Dave Marciano (@CaptMarciano) August 23, 2012
This is one of the best times of the year to catch bass, usually again at dusk and dawn. This causes them to be more aggressive and active, increasing the chances they’ll end up biting on your bait during the pre-spawn season. As the bass prepare to spawn, they increase their feeding habits in order to fatten up and gain all the energy they need for reproduction.
Lake Erie 8:00am ice fishing, when does spring start? pic.twitter.com/7pbUWjYawg
— Wayne F (@wfennimoreX) March 7, 2019
Focus on visible spawning flats which can be seen from the boat. During the day, bass will move toward deeper water or deeper inside the weeds. When the sun is high, always fish the shady side of cover no matter how deep or shallow.
Learn more about where to find and how to use fishing reports in your state and catch more fish. Located on Reindeer Lake, we’re among Canada’s top locations for fishing vacations. One of our favorite web resources for tying the most common fishing knots. The number of fish passing over dams can be a good indicator of how many fish are in the river and how the run is progressing.
Dion Liriano is a 51-year-old American zookeeper who has retired from the business. He was once a highly successful director of the Zoo and Aquarium, but he has since hung up his gloves and moved on to other ventures. Dion's passion for animals began at a young age, when he would help his father care for their family pets. This love grew exponentially when he started working at the zoo; Dion quickly became one of the most experienced keepers in the business. He credits his success to the relationships he built with both staff and animals over the years.