For the most part, bass become predictable during the spring of the year as they move shallow to spawn and then drop back out when they finish. The guessing game is locating where the bass will be on a given day.
FLW Pro Circuit angler Braxton Setzer uses all the clues he is given when formulating his plan. These signs could be visible bedding bass, water temperature readings, and spawning shad as they are all clues from nature for what the bass should be doing. But in general, his springtime approach is to cover his bases by fishing all depth columns to locate groups of bass.
READ RELATED: Here's What You Need to Know about the Ninja Twitch'n Glider
Topwater Time
Once bass finish spawning, a walking topwater bait is often the first thing that Sezter will pick up, and he adds that it also works well for spawning fish.
“Right when they get done spawning, most of the fish are still going to hang up shallow for a bit,” he said. “This year has been an interesting one for weather, and it warmed up quickly, so bass are doing everything right now. Some are spawning, some are done, and some are focused on the shad spawn.”
All of those situations call for a topwater, according to Setzer, and lately, he’s been utilizing the 5” Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil in Bone. He fishes the jumbo topwater on a Phenix X-13 composite cranking rod and prefers 50-pound Yo-Zuri SuperBraid to handle the one-ounce bait.
He’ll stick with the topwater as long as he can until he sees clues that he should adjust his approach.
“The shad spawn bite can be phenomenal, but it is only the first 30-minutes or hour of the day, and it will get tougher. That’s when I start backing out a little deeper,” he said.
Mid Cranking
When the water reaches the mid-70’s, Setzer starts to mix in a crankbait into his spring arsenal.
“Bass are going to follow the same routes going into and out of spawning areas. It could be a ditch, secondary point, or some other staging area,” shared Setzer. “Also, not all of the fish are going to spawn at the same time. Focusing on these areas is a good way to get a mix of pre-spawn and post-spawn fish.”
These staging areas that he targets are generally six-feet or shallower, so he matches a crankbait to dive that deep. His go-to is the Yo-Zuri 3DB Series 1.5 Mid-Range Crankbait that reaches depths of 5- to 8-feet of water.
“I like to stay in that six-feet or less zone because if I am throwing a crankbait, it has to be touching the bottom. I want it to be grinding,” he added. “That bait is a perfect size and not overpowering. I like that smaller profile to match the smaller shad that you see a lot this time of year.”
In addition to the ditches and secondary points, he also looks for channel swing banks and structure that helps to form underwater points as these are critical areas for him. “I am more looking for structure like hard spots instead of just a single piece of cover. I’ve learned it is easier to find big groups of fish instead of one or two fish that are on a single piece of wood,” he believes.
He’ll fish this crankbait on a Phenix X-11 composite cranking rod and spools his reel with 10-pound Yo-Zuri TopKnot fluorocarbon line. “I always start with 10-pound and then vary it from there,” Setzer added.
READ RELATED: Yo-Zuri 3DB Deep Crank Review
Deep Cranking
As things move along and spring begins to turn into summer, Setzer is ready with a deep crankbait.
“Once they slide back down to deeper water and get on brushpiles and other cover, I am looking for the big schools of bass. A crankbait is one of the best ways to cover water searching for groups of fish,” Setzer shares.
He will rotate between the Duel Hardcore Crankbaits in both the 3+ (9-12-foot diver) and 4+ (12-15 foot diver) sizes.
“One of the best things about those baits is how well they come through cover. They are pretty buoyant too, so if you get in a bind and it gets stuck, they usually come right back up,” he said.
When fishing these two crankbaits, he again chooses the Phenix X-13 rod and starts with 10-pound Yo-Zuri TopKnot fluorocarbon. “I’ll go up to 12-pound if I am fishing thick brush or really grinding the bottom,” added the Alabama pro.
Each year as bass push shallow and back out after spawning, Braxton Setzer looks for the clues he is seeing and adjusts his plan accordingly. Being ready with a variety of moving baits ensures he can keep it moving until he finds the motherload of spring bass.
Advertising