"Fire the TORPIDoes!": Early Spring Fishing Artillery

Jan 14th, 2009 by Kevin

Spring Bass Fishing Tips.

    Winter in New England can be long and difficult for most fishermen.  This often times means that as soon as the ice begins to break free from the shoreline and the sun begins to strengthen with the coming of spring, lines are cast into the water.  Here are a few tactics on fishing the ice-out.

    When the ice begins to recede, the water temperatures are still quite cold (40’s and 50’s).  Shallower water, especially over darker

    The fish will still be torpid and lethargic and even a bit reluctant to take the bait.  But, with the proper knowledge you can successfully bring some in.

                                        PERCH

    Perhaps the easiest fish to target during the late winter – early spring months is the yellow perch.  The perch tends to roam further than the bass and move in closer to the shoreline when the ice melts from the bank.  To locate the perch, try fishing along the shorelines that get the most sunlight.  Start with the northern shore, as this will have the warmest water.  With the sun towards your face, your shadow will not spook the fish. 

    Try using small plastics such as 4” Senkos, Slug-gos, and my favorite—the grub.  Slow presentations are ideal because the fish are still lethargic.  Keep the fish enticed by hopping a scented grub on a jig-eye and letting it pause for several seconds.  It is all about presentation in the early spring, as the fish will be reluctant to expend energy unless they are sure they can eat the bait.  Perch fishing can be a great way to get back into the swing of fishing.

                                    PICKEREL 

    Around mid-to-late April in New England the pickerel fishing in the open water becomes promising.  The pickerel is fierce by nature and will bite almost any bait you throw in its direction.  However, springtime reluctance is still a factor.  I prefer to use crankbaits and jerkbaits when targeting pickerel.  They are perhaps the first fish to come out of a hibernating state and start searching the waters for food.  Try jerkbaits that suspend at different depths when you pause your retrieve.  It is not too early to get out some of those topwaters either.  My go-to lure is the J-5 Rapala, jointed brown trout… or the “broke-back minnow.”  The jointed Rapalas have unbelievable control over their movement and can be quite enticingly injured even with a slow retrieve.  Try fishing these with a stop-and-go retrieve using a rod with a fast action. 

                                        BASS 

    Largemouth and Smallmouth bass behave slightly differently than their aquatic neighbors, the perch and pickerel.  Bass will move to warmer water, even into skinny water some 1-3 ft in depth.  However, they will still hold close to structure and most often relate

    As the bass begin to spawn in the shallow water, they will look for protected areas such as stumps and fallen trees.  Remember that the bass will be your biggest critic and you must focus on tricking the fish into taking what you offer.  Larger bass are less affected by temperature changes because of their larger mass, so while the smaller bass will be the first to be cold in the fall, they will also be the first to warm up in the spring.  Try using a variety of baits such as large, bulky plastics.  I recommend lizards and creature baits.  Bass tend to be more interested in a larger meal if they have to expend energy to get it.  Try jigs, jerkbaits, and deep-diving lures too.  Slow-fishing is the key.

-Come chat with me, the Lucky BASStard, on the BASStard Forum.

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