more help needed!!

[hippy640]

What's up folks?Well,I need some help with early spring tackle options. I fish eastern pa. north jersey in mostly reseviors and lakes but I would like to know what some of you guys throw at this time of year and if I need to make up rigs could you maybe give line,leader and hook info? Again this is my first year bass fishing I've always fished streams and such for trout so this is the year for bass'in!!!!

[carl]

I'd offer my two cents ,but I'd like to hear from the staff first, since I'm also interested in what they have to say. I got some very good advice from Johnnie, and Mofish in my post "seasonal patterns", check it out. No matter what your fishing with, at this time of year the word is "slow". We can get into details later.Carl

[mofish]

I'm not from up North and I'm sure that a Bass is a Bass no matter were he is its just that the seasons change different up there than here so I will go into what I do in the spring.
Look for the flats were the fish will be spawning. then look for deep water near by. That is the biggest thing I can tell you about spring fishing. Baits dont seem to matter as much as finding the fish. When I say deep water what I mean to say is water deeper than the surrounding water. Look for little ditches and or depressions in the bottom. the fish use these ditches as Roads to the shallows. They also use the deeper water of the ditch as a escape rout from fishermen and the weather..

Now once you found what we are looking for,I like to start out with a Crankbait. I fish it really slow and just bump it along the bottom. Any crank that will hit bottom in 6 to 8 foot should work fine. Don't forget to have a lippless crank ready of go too because some days they will like a bait moving faster. Spinner baits work great too. Once you catch a couple of fish start working with slower baits. Tubes, Jigs-N-Pigs, and stick worms. Working them around any cover that you can find.

One other thing pay attention to what size you are catching. The smaller males will move up first. When you are catching these move out just a little deeper were the bigger females will be.

I'm sure you will get some more info from others but this what I do>.

[johnnie crain outdoors]

Hi Hippy, I see you're getting some very sound advice already, these guys know their stuff. Being an up-North angler myself now, The first bass to move here are the large females and it's as soon as the ice is gone. Very cold water. The do-it-slow advice really applies. I'm not uncomfortable fishing water in the 40 to 45 degree range and I do it with large deep diving crankbaits. I'm not looking for depth-the fish will be shallow. What I want is a bait that can be fished slowly and digs mud and gravel like a crawfish does. The crankbait is an excellent choice. Cast it ti likely looking shorelines and satrt a medium retrieve then when the bait starts digging a ditch, slow up just a little. Big bass move slow in cold water, but can move much faster if needed after a long-cold winter down deep. I like crawfish colors at this time of year. There are no shad, bluegill or small bass in the shallows yet, but there are crawfish especially on clear sun shiny days. The craws come out to warm up and lie very close to the shoreline. One other thing, at least around here, spring crawfish are mostly green in color, with some orange on the pinchers. A craw colored jig and pig is another good selection, but too slow for me. Fish the Northeast shorelines whenever possible it will be the warmest. You may use either a spinning combo-medium heavy or standard baitcasting equipment. No finness stuff this time of year. Forget every thing you know about trout, this is a whole new ballgameHope this is of some value. Johhnie Crain-Iowa.

[mofish]

Hey Jonnie,

"ICE OUT" is that when Hard water Turns Soft?? :p See down here "ICE OUT" means that the roads are too slick to get to work!!

Just kidding!!

In my post I put that the males move up first but Jonnie is right on warmmer days you can see the big females cruzing that bank looking for something to eat and on really sunny days you they are just sitting there getting a tan..Warming up those eggs. Just to clear that up. The males move in to build the nest for spawning and the female are in a little deeper water near cover waiting for him to get his house in order..

[carl]

How's your baitcasting coming along? Carl

[hippy640]

Hey guys, Thank you for the advise, hopefully I will put it to good use.and as jonnie put it low and slow.As for the baitcasting,It's going well my side arm is the best method for me so far.
One more thing,When or about when is it time to wet line up here in the north east?Does it have to do with water temp?

[edprocoat]

Hippie, dude its always a good time to go fishing. Heck if you have to cut ice they will still bite. I got a baitcaster as its the only reel I have never used. It works but man it takes some getting used too. Good luck.

ED

[johnnie crain outdoors]

Hippy, any time the ice goes off is a good time to fish. I much prefer-Late morning/ early evenings, Gives the sun time to warm the shallows. Fish each bait slow and deliberate and eventually the action will pick up as the waters warm.

[brendanc]

Hippy,

Edprocoat and Johnnie hit the nail on the head! I live on Long Island, NY and I have not stopped fishing. Just like any other time of year, some days are better than others. If we get a couple of warm days in a row, you may be in for a treat. I was out fishing yesterday during the rain storm we had up here in the Northeast and the bass were on the chew.

For me, fishing this winter has been the most productive between 10:00am and 2:00pm. I have caught fish in the morning and late afternoon, but the strongest feeding activety has been between 10:00am and 2:00pm.

Other members have posted about the fish being bunched up in the winter, and they are right. The hardest part is locating them. Are you fishing from the bank or from a boat?

Brendan