Shifting Tactics for Better Bass Bishing

The last two weeks have been incredible. (And if you haven't been out there yet, why not?) Kent Lake alone kicked out 16 fish over 5 lbs -- and those are just the ones that were reported. (Believe it or not, people don't tell us everything - you have to assume that at least as many have been caught but not reported). Top baits continued to be 3/8 and 1/2 oz flipping jigs in darker colors like green pumpkin/watermelon, pbj, and lava craw along with 5-6" Senkos in watermelon/black flake, green pumpkin/black flake, and baby bass. There have also been some smaller-than-huge swimbaits like the Castaic slow-sinking bluegill and the Maverick Minnow accounting for some big fish.

That said, anglers are begining to notice a change in the bite. When viewed from above (on a hill or up a tree) the number of fish cruising the shallows and loitering in certain small areas has increased dramaticly, along with the skittishness of these fish while in the shallows. It has also been increasingly challenging to "sight" fish for them. This tends to indicate that the first wave of spawners are getting ready to get down to business.

This means you need to stay well off the bank, keep your shadow off the bank and execute every cast and each presentation as cleanly and efficiently as possible. I'm assuming you are using polarized sunglasses (even/especially in low light conditions) and some fluorocarbon line. (Flourocarbon line has the same reflective coefficient as water, so it literally disappears when immersed. Like all fishing line, it does not biodegrade, so you need to pack out so we can all continue to enjoy these areas.) For details on the baits and srategy ascociated with sight fishing try reading the article I wrote called "How to Blink Bedding Bass" in the archives of californiabasscraft.com.

The next Marin County Bass Club meeting will be Wednesday, April 8th. Our guest speaker will be Noah Stevens of the Sonoma County Belly Boat Bass Club. He will be doing a clinic on getting into bass fishing from a float tube for fun or for tournament competition (which, I'll point out, can be more fun). As usual, the meeting is open to the public and free of charge as it is sponsored by Western Sport Shop, Jigmonster.com, and Noah Stevens will be donating his time to drive down and share his knowledge and experience free of charge. So feel free to stop by and take a look as any one with enthusiasm regardless of skill level is always welcome.