Patterning Spring Bass in Maine

It’s finally that time of year where the ice is gone and the bass are hungry again! Despite the early ice out, the spawn seems to be timing up fairly normal here in Maine.

April was filled with a lot of big pre spawn fish being caught near islands or deep shorelines leading into spawning areas. Before the state mandated shut off in the month of May, many local tournaments were taking a 4-pound average to win. A jerkbait and other baitfish imitations seemed to be my productive lures with water temperatures ranging from 45-50 degrees.
 
Early May has been filled with a lot of fish moving up to the shallows despite the inconsistent weather. With water temperatures in the mid to high 50’s, the fish in some southern lakes have began to start the spawning process. Lots of fish in the 1- to 3-pound range are being caught with some bigger females mixed in. The bite has been much better on warmer and sunnier days, suggesting that the next stretch of nice weather will pull the remaining fish up.

Personally, when the sun is out I have had the most success throwing a weightless fluke or swimbait. A lot of fish seem to be cruising near the surface of the water during these sunny days, so the low profile appearance of these baits seem to help get more bites. On more cloudy or cooler days, I have had the most success on a jerkbait. I prefer perch-colored patterns for largemouth, and smelt colored patterns for smallmouth.

Another good option for lure selection is a 1/4- or 3/8-ounce jig. While this is a year-round bait for many people, I think it does really well in the spring around submerged trees or docks. I prefer the lighter weight for this time of year to help avoid scaring fish off.

As May progresses and the water crawls into the 60-degree range, most fish will be seen on beds. The areas I tend to key in on are submerged trees, boulders, or boat docks. This type of fishing is certainly my favorite time of the year!  While I don’t believe there is one specific bait that works best during this time, some good options are bluegill or crawfish imitations. The bass will often chase these off their beds, making them the perfect bait!

While May is one of the best months to catch bass using a variety of techniques, the conditions are constantly changing. This can lead to some challenging days, so here are a few general ideas that have helped me be successful.

First, always try to find the warmest water. The biggest groups of bass I find are often in the small sections of the lake that are 2 to 3 degrees warmer than the rest.

Another suggestion is to try and be as stealthy as possible when fishing shallow water. My most successful days come from making long casts with lightweight lures. I believe this is a huge factor in getting bites this time of year.

Maine truly has some of the best and most consistent bass fishing in the entire country. There are countless lakes that hold a large population of both largemouth and smallmouth that are willing to bite!