Staging Springtime Largemouth Scenario: What are your go to baits?

[Matt Eikenberg]

I'm already thinking about spring... The bass have transitioned up and are in their staging areas before they move up to spawn. I prefer a Red Eyed Shad as a search bait in shallower water, staying close to deep water. If I locate them I will switch to a soft jerk bait. What are your "go-to" baits for those sometimes hard to find springtime bass?

[Big Mike]

I have found a spider head Yamamoto grub bounced on the bottom produces fairly well in the spring (for whatever reason doesn't produce well in the summer). I also drop shot finesse worms above emerging grass beds. Both have a slower presentation that I think works well when the bass are finicky.

[dpreller]

Jig and paca craw,suspending jerkbait,10-12 foot diving crank for prospecting points.

[Turtle135]

Some of the fastest action I have experienced while the water temperature is still in the 46 - 50 degree range but has been trending up has been with a lipless crankbait like a Rat-L-Trap. Not generally a big fish pattern as I suspect it is the male bass moving up shallow first looking for food.

Slow rolling a 3/8 ounce spinnerbait with a single colorado blade around the breaks to the adjacent deeper water will pickup some bass if they have not fully committed to the shallow water. I like slow steady retrieve, slow enough that you keep ticking the bottom.

Of course it they are hunting crawfish it is time to break out the jig and craw and get ready to catch some of the biggest bass of the season. You know me Matt, I'm gonna force feed them that jig if I can!