Late Spring Bassin

There's no better time to be on the water fishing for largemouth bass than late May and early June. It's the time of year bass really start becoming active and spending a lot of time in shallow water.

There are numerous fishing techniques that will be productive for largemouth in early summer for boat and bank anglers alike. In addition to the good bass fishing that occurs in Kentucky's 18 major reservoirs, largemouth are also abundant and readily caught in rivers, streams and farm ponds during this period.

Among the top tactics knowledgeable anglers use in late May is fishing a medium-running crankbait along creek banks that have both visible and submerged cover. Largemouth congregate close to almost any type of woody structure such as stumps, tree stick-ups, fallen logs and tree tops or man-made brush piles lying in water up to 10 feet deep.

When fishing this kind of cover, either casting and retrieving the crankbait parallel and as close as possible to the cover, or lightly bumping the bait into or against the edge of the structure often ignites a bass to strike. Baits that resemble shad or crawfish in shape and color are good choices.

Spinnerbait fishermen can be successful as well in these kinds of areas, or simply by casting along rocky banks that have irregular formations. Fishing around partially submerged bushes is also a good bet.

One other excellent choice is to fish around or in vegetation like weed beds or milfoil stands. Often, largemouth can be caught on crankbaits such as a Rat-L-Trap or Shad Rap by working along the outside edge of the vegetation. If fish can't be found there, consider either probing the pockets and openings in the weeds using a plastic worm, or even a topwater minnow-type lure early and late. Vegetation tends to attract baitfish, which in turn keeps predators like largemouth close by. It also provides shade and cover for bass, and makes it easier for bass to ambush unsuspecting shad or small bluegill.

Stream or river anglers should also concentrate on shoreline cover, or spots where the bank has tree roots or other debris located in shallow water. Many times live bait such as minnows or worms drifted near bank cover entices bass from their hiding places.

Anglers who enjoy fishing for bass in farm ponds in late spring or early summer should try spinnerbaits, small crankbaits, topwater buzzbaits and plastic worms. One key to catching pond bass is keeping noise and motion to a minimum as you move around the pond to different fishing spots. Bass, and other fish as well, are very much aware of their surroundings. And since bass, especially, are staying closer to the bank this time of year, it's easier to spook fish by being too noisy.

While fish can be caught any time during the day, generally anglers are more successful the first couple hours of daylight and the last couple of hours before dusk. Topwater baits and other lures designed to be fished very shallow usually produce better when there is less sunlight. As the surf rises, fishing in progressively deeper water, or close to thicker cover generally means more bass.

Although this time of year is a great time to be on or around the water and the temperatures are warming up, boat fishermen shouldn't forget to wear their life jackets when running up and down the lake or river. Anglers fishing private ponds or lakes, or accessing water through privately-owned land should also remember to obtain permission first.

For complete information on the size and creel limits for largemouth, and all other Kentucky sport fish species, pick up a copy of the " 1994 Kentucky Sport Fishing Guide" from license outlets, or from the Ky. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources I&E Div. at #1 Game Farm Rd., Frankfort, KY phone: (502) 564-4336. Office hours are 8 am to 4:30 pm (Eastern), Monday through Friday.