Westernbass.com Magazine - Bass Fishing Tips And Techniques - April 2012, Page 11

Westernbass.com Magazine - Bass Fishing Tips And Techniques - April 2012, Page 11

didn’t allow Mama Pesce her freedom and the next time she appeared boat side, i gripped her belly and lifted her into my ranger boat. Stretching the digital scales to 5.2-lbs, my exclamation punctuated the morning calm! two bald eagles stared at the entire fight from their perch on a nearby fir tree, and after Mama Pesce disappeared into the depths they took off in search of their own fish. Spring is the most anticipated season. as flowering cherry trees turn pink and daylight lingers past supper, bass and anglers both get excited. Months of reduced activity give way to searching; bass in search of a decent meal, and anglers in search of bass. While catching the first bass of the season is memorable, the gripping excitement comes by knowing any cast could land a bass of mega proportions. When water temps climb above 45-degrees in the Pacific Northwest, bass begin moving en masse from their deep winter sanctuary to shallow flats. This movement occurs faster than most realize; one day you get bit in 45-feet of water and the next you find action in 10-feet. With unstable weather typical in the spring, bass may fluctuate between depths as often as the weather changes between gray and blue.

Early season bass tactics are most successful when two important angler traits are employed, patience and persistence. While bass deliberately move shallow to prepare for spawning, they don’t move all at once, so don’t expect to find large

Roe Marcan tonio (my w ife) with a 5 smallmouth lb. caught on a Lucky Craft Staysee 90S P ver 2 - Am erican Lake in Western W ashington.

Issue 2

April 2012

11