Jig Tactics for Early Spring Bass

In spring as the bass move from their winter haunts to the staging areas where they hold until conditions are right to move to the shallow flats for the spawn, there are very few exhibitions that will out-produce a crawfish imitation presentation. Lures that imitate crawfish are so effective because bass feast on emerging crawfish. Bass eat crawfish all year, but in early spring they are among the first forage to appear. The scent, sound and activity of the crawfish bring the bass to the staging areas in the deeper water near the spawning flats. It is believed that the crawfish provide bass with the essential nutrients needed to prepare the bass for the approaching spawn.

Anglers must offer a close imitation of the crawfish to the bass in the staging areas, and one lure that excels at this is a jig with a chunk trailer. Slowly dragged across structure in the deeper water will catch the big girls as they wait for the males to prepare beds for spawning. In these deeper areas, darker colors prevail, such as black and blue, green pumpkin or natural crawfish colors. A light jig will sink slower and give the lethargic bass more time to strike in the cool water of early spring. The chunk trailers appendages imitate the claws and legs of a crawfish by moving as the jig sinks and moves across the bottom with a slow retrieve. The proper presentation also lifts a silt or sediment trail on the bottom that resembles the clouds made as the crawfish emerge for their clay homes of winter and scurry around to get the mud off their bodies.

Bass Attacker Jig

Some anglers take the crawfish presentation to another level by adding a jig rattle to mimic the sound of the claws of the crawfish. Other anglers add attractant in a crawfish scent as well to draw bass to the lure. Sight, scent and sound with the proper presentation work in unison to produce reaction strikes from the bass that forage on the crawfish.  A presentation of a quick acceleration of the jig followed by a pause will mimic the crawfish fleeing and then taking a fighting stance as the trailer flairs, which initiates a strike.

Early spring bass fishing is by far the best season. There is something about being on the water as the changing temperatures and longer days bring life back to the landscape, as well as in the water below. Nature has a way of replenishing everything it needs; anglers can help this by being responsible. Enjoy the water, and take someone fishing this year.

Happy Fishing!