Bass Fishing the Shad Spawn - Captain Mike Gerry

It’s the time of year where the shad are starting to show up on the ledges and the shad spawn bite is upon us! To me it is one of the most amazing bass fishing times of the year; you can absolutely get a rod ripped out of your hands if you are not careful. The bass are chasing the shad at first light and on into early morning and maybe beyond depending on the amount of sunlight or overcast. If you like fishing spinner baits and enjoy the hard fighting strikes of moving baits like I do, then it’s time to get them out and start working them over the ledges at first light or at night as it can be as productive as any time of the year. 

The unique thing about the shad spawn is that the shad are chasing the spinner bait you're fishing, the bass are chasing and feeding on the shad and your spinner bait is getting ripped by bass and big bass! It’s just a great time with a lot of action in a short period of time and you will have a blast getting fierce strikes. I have customers that wait every year for the shad spawn time and call me to get on that bite, their like kids with boxes of candy they just get addicted to the pace and power of the bite. Nothing in bass fishing is as much fun or as productive as fishing the shad spawn; the down side is it only lasts a few weeks, so timing is everything. The other unique thing to remember is you must be on your favorite ledge or point as the sun makes its first break over the horizon. Sure, the bite can last an hour or more, but the best action occurs as we see the first light appear. The important thing is timing and the only way to properly account for the timing is to get out there at first light as many days in a row as you can until you see it start to happen, then fish it every day until it runs out.

My favorite spinner bait is the Picasso Pro dual willow leaf bladed bait, it has a floating head that gives the bait more action and allows you to slow roll it over the ledges and down the breaks from the ledge. I like dual gold willow leaf blades in either 1⁄2 oz or 3⁄4 oz. depending on the depth I am trying to get to. Use your wrist to move and drop the bait, make quick actions with your wrist and slowly let that bait work from the top of the ledge to the drop off the edge of it. This is a great how to fish for bass technique. It’s also important to remember that bass are chasers if you not getting bites let the bait drop more, speed it up or slow it down change directions with it; as these presentations will allow you to find a way to get bit.

The shad spawn is as much fun as you can have as a bass fisherman, if you have never experienced it. This spring bass fishing occurs on every lake in the south and maybe through out the country; study it, hunt it and you’ll enjoy it for sure. Check with your friends and other fisherman for the timing if you can’t account for it your self and hold on as it will be the time of your life.

Enjoy these bass fishing tips.

Captain Mike Gerry

Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service

www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com

Email: bassguide@comcast.net

Call: 256 759 2270

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