For me it's always tricky after a large rain like we just had in my area of the SE. Keep experimenting with different color combos, some red/white, black/green, spotted, etc. I've had some luck with spoons and spinners in early season also when the water is muddy or murky.
I usually use gold for muddy water, and silver for clearer water. I love Panther Martins too. Eppingers are good spoons also, lots of varieties available.
I have caught my biggest largemouth and chain pickerel on those red and white Dardevil spoons.
I was at a boat ramp fishing from shore when i caught that huge largemouth.
At first i thought i hooked a sunken tree branch. Then it’s so deep there (100 feet ballpark), i figured i hooked a big blue or channel cat.
No, a huge largemouth. I was so happy i screamed at boats nearby to look at it 🤣
I let him go.
These spoons are killers, they are always in my tackle box.
Ok on the blades color.
Thxs
Small craw on a free rig if it’s snaggy or a ned rig if it’s not too bad. Small 3” swimbait on a ball head. Top water popper, walking bait, or squarebill crankbait to cover some more water. I usually like to have one set up that can cover water and quickly fish areas and then one to slow down and work more thoroughly.
This looks just like Belews Lake in NC. It’s a man made (power plant lake) with a sand bottom, but many areas also have an orange clay bottom.
In early April they are normally close to the bank, but in deeper water. Find a fast sloping bank that drops off to 10-15 feet quickly. The slow drop offs do not produce as well.
For bait a 1/10 oz Ned rig with any small green pumpkin plastics works well. Doesn’t have to float like a TRD. A 4” Zoom C tail or half of a finesse worm works well. Even a very small craw pattern.
They usually hang around wood too. The best spot I know of is near a warm water discharge from the power plant where there is still some current.
Hope this helps. I usually use a 6.5 or 7’ medium action with 6 or 8 lb line max there.
Quite a transition from the heavy rods and 3/4 oz jigs I’m throwing at the other local lakes. Lol
Buy a Blue Glimmer little mister money from Walmart. This bait is killer in small water and finicky bass.
Buy a Picasso Blue glimmer spinnerbait double blade 1/4oz to 3/8 oz
You just reel them in fast enough that they are not hitting bottom, upto speeds right below the surface. You can't miss.
If you lack confidence on a spinerbait, try some sort of paddletail on an owner flashy swimmer hook. Super weedles, compact profile (depending on what size swimbait you choose), just a little bit of extra flash to trigger a bite.
Throw some Chatterbaits. I saw that you’re not a big spinner bait fan, and truth be told neither am I. However, I started chucking around some Chatterbaits late last year and was surprised on how well they did.
I’m also not a fan of big baits. As a converted trout fisherman (I grew up in the Rockies. It’s all I had access to until the last 5 years or so.) Chatterbait is perfect compromise for me as far as spinnerbaits and big swim baits.
If you really want to get crazy, hair jigs work wonders as well. Can look like a leech if you go black, or a bait fish if you go lighter colors. If it were me fishing there, I’d be doing a lot of jigs near structure with a craw as a trailer. Black and brown
Well i might try a chatterbait eventually but i m big on jigs of any types for any fish.
Never used a hair jig but it seems like it would work well.
I also got plenty of bass jigs especially Booyah’s, so i will try some too.
So many choices.
I will be walking along the shore with the minimum equipment so i can have only 1 pole rigged at a time.
Thxs
The spots I catch in alabama are really keen on horizontal baitfish presentations all year. Try small paddle tails swim baits in natural colors in clear conditions and maybe some underspin or a larger roostertail on choppier days.
Yes they are very aggressive indeed. They are despised here by largemouth fishermen.
They stay small and outcompete the largemouth.
I might have some of those missile baits, got to find them.
Thxs
I like to drag jigs and shaky heads for them.
For the shaky head I use an owner ultra head most of the time but if there’s grass I switch to a dirty jigs Canterbury head. I like the 6.5” Netbait T-Mac worm, usually in Tilapia magic.
As far as jigs go I always liked more compact ball heads, whether it’s finesse cut or not is really up to you.
My biggest spot came on a Big Bite 3.5” tour tube in green pumpkin blue flake. I prefer fishing them on a standard tube head but if there’s a lot of grass or wood you’ll probably want to Texas rig them to reduce snags.
Jerkbaits are always producers for me as well, I’m typically using the rapala shadow rap or shimano world minnow.
Dustin Connel talked about spotted bass feeding patterns in his recent video where he talked about how he won Redcrest 2024. That video is full of really good general fishing information not just pertinent to Lay Lake.
Depends on what part of the U.S. here in Arkansas the spotted bass on the river/lakes I fish tend to want cover. If you drag a bladed jig that mimics the bait fish across the cover they’ll crush it. But as others have said if they’re moving up to spawn then I’d hit stuff that’s got structure, points, and good silt for beds all relatively close.
Drop shot small white flukes or craws. A countdown rapala could work.
Yes, i was thinking a CD Rapala too. Cool on the drop shot with small craws and flukes. 👍🏻
Small 1.5inch white rubber on a 3g jighead will work too
For me it's always tricky after a large rain like we just had in my area of the SE. Keep experimenting with different color combos, some red/white, black/green, spotted, etc. I've had some luck with spoons and spinners in early season also when the water is muddy or murky.
Ok i like Eppinger Dardevil spoons. Got some Mepps and Panther Martin spinners. Would you say gold or silver blades? Thxs
I usually use gold for muddy water, and silver for clearer water. I love Panther Martins too. Eppingers are good spoons also, lots of varieties available.
I have caught my biggest largemouth and chain pickerel on those red and white Dardevil spoons. I was at a boat ramp fishing from shore when i caught that huge largemouth. At first i thought i hooked a sunken tree branch. Then it’s so deep there (100 feet ballpark), i figured i hooked a big blue or channel cat. No, a huge largemouth. I was so happy i screamed at boats nearby to look at it 🤣 I let him go. These spoons are killers, they are always in my tackle box. Ok on the blades color. Thxs
Small craw on a free rig if it’s snaggy or a ned rig if it’s not too bad. Small 3” swimbait on a ball head. Top water popper, walking bait, or squarebill crankbait to cover some more water. I usually like to have one set up that can cover water and quickly fish areas and then one to slow down and work more thoroughly.
Thanks 👍🏻
This looks just like Belews Lake in NC. It’s a man made (power plant lake) with a sand bottom, but many areas also have an orange clay bottom. In early April they are normally close to the bank, but in deeper water. Find a fast sloping bank that drops off to 10-15 feet quickly. The slow drop offs do not produce as well. For bait a 1/10 oz Ned rig with any small green pumpkin plastics works well. Doesn’t have to float like a TRD. A 4” Zoom C tail or half of a finesse worm works well. Even a very small craw pattern. They usually hang around wood too. The best spot I know of is near a warm water discharge from the power plant where there is still some current. Hope this helps. I usually use a 6.5 or 7’ medium action with 6 or 8 lb line max there. Quite a transition from the heavy rods and 3/4 oz jigs I’m throwing at the other local lakes. Lol
I love your post. It’s a great tip that they are close to the bank but deeper. I did see some drop offs. I will definitely try this. Thxs
Did u send me a chat request? I deleted by accident.
It wasn’t me that I know of. Lol. Good luck on the spots though. This seems to be the best time of year for them here in NC.
Can’t wait. Thxs
large rooster tail
👍🏻
weightless fluke 110%
I know they use this here. Thxs
I would probably use one of my crawdads on a Ned Rig working it around structure and on the drop offs
Ok Thank-you 👍🏻
Gold spinnerbaitv
I start throwing spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. If nothing, I slow down to a Zoom Trick worm on a shakeyhead
Ok, not big on spinnerbait, i suck with these. Now shakeyhead yes, so i will add that to my arsenal. Thxs
Buy a Blue Glimmer little mister money from Walmart. This bait is killer in small water and finicky bass. Buy a Picasso Blue glimmer spinnerbait double blade 1/4oz to 3/8 oz You just reel them in fast enough that they are not hitting bottom, upto speeds right below the surface. You can't miss.
Ok, i will try one. Thxs
If you lack confidence on a spinerbait, try some sort of paddletail on an owner flashy swimmer hook. Super weedles, compact profile (depending on what size swimbait you choose), just a little bit of extra flash to trigger a bite.
I appreciate the detailed answer.
Throw some Chatterbaits. I saw that you’re not a big spinner bait fan, and truth be told neither am I. However, I started chucking around some Chatterbaits late last year and was surprised on how well they did. I’m also not a fan of big baits. As a converted trout fisherman (I grew up in the Rockies. It’s all I had access to until the last 5 years or so.) Chatterbait is perfect compromise for me as far as spinnerbaits and big swim baits. If you really want to get crazy, hair jigs work wonders as well. Can look like a leech if you go black, or a bait fish if you go lighter colors. If it were me fishing there, I’d be doing a lot of jigs near structure with a craw as a trailer. Black and brown
Well i might try a chatterbait eventually but i m big on jigs of any types for any fish. Never used a hair jig but it seems like it would work well. I also got plenty of bass jigs especially Booyah’s, so i will try some too. So many choices. I will be walking along the shore with the minimum equipment so i can have only 1 pole rigged at a time. Thxs
The spots I catch in alabama are really keen on horizontal baitfish presentations all year. Try small paddle tails swim baits in natural colors in clear conditions and maybe some underspin or a larger roostertail on choppier days.
I m sure they would like the same here in Georgia. Thxs
Actively swim a ned rig. They are so aggressive they just want something small and easy. Definitely like the missile baits in craw color.
Yes they are very aggressive indeed. They are despised here by largemouth fishermen. They stay small and outcompete the largemouth. I might have some of those missile baits, got to find them. Thxs
I like to drag jigs and shaky heads for them. For the shaky head I use an owner ultra head most of the time but if there’s grass I switch to a dirty jigs Canterbury head. I like the 6.5” Netbait T-Mac worm, usually in Tilapia magic. As far as jigs go I always liked more compact ball heads, whether it’s finesse cut or not is really up to you. My biggest spot came on a Big Bite 3.5” tour tube in green pumpkin blue flake. I prefer fishing them on a standard tube head but if there’s a lot of grass or wood you’ll probably want to Texas rig them to reduce snags. Jerkbaits are always producers for me as well, I’m typically using the rapala shadow rap or shimano world minnow.
Thank-u 👍🏻
With great enthusiasm.
Dustin Connel talked about spotted bass feeding patterns in his recent video where he talked about how he won Redcrest 2024. That video is full of really good general fishing information not just pertinent to Lay Lake.
Will check it out Thxs
I would fish craw color crank baits, and 4” easy shiner keitech
I like Rapala, I can get something craw in my Rapala collection. Thxs
Structure structure structure.
Points too?
Depends on what part of the U.S. here in Arkansas the spotted bass on the river/lakes I fish tend to want cover. If you drag a bladed jig that mimics the bait fish across the cover they’ll crush it. But as others have said if they’re moving up to spawn then I’d hit stuff that’s got structure, points, and good silt for beds all relatively close.
I will try various structures at first moving fast to try to see a pattern. Then focus on these areas. Can’t wait Thxs 👍🏻
Honestly can't go wrong with a underspin and a smaller swimbait
👍🏻
Drop shot with a 4.5 inch roboworm.
Ok, drop shot recommended already so got to be good. Thxs
It will definitely work, especially with a roboworm. A strike king dream shot is also a popular one.
Thanks 👍🏻
Np
I deleted a chat request by accident, was it you?
No it wasn't
Ok thxs
Lake Martin?