Tactics for Post-Spawn Bass

Fishing for bass during the spawn is sometimes so easy that some anglers consider it to be unfair or unsportsmanlike. Anyone who’s ever fishing this time of year knows that sight-fishing beds and shallows usually entails simply casting out your bait and reeling in a fish, since bass are known to be quite aggressive and protective of their beds and will strike nearly anything that comes near. What about the post-spawn, however? Where do the bass go during this time and how do you catch them? Today, I’ve outlined a few answers to this question to help you catch more bass during the post-spawn!

Usually, once the post-spawn hits, female bass leave their beds in search of food in deeper waters while the males guard the beds from predators. This period lasts a few weeks. In smaller lakes, you can find these roaming females in water around 10-15 feet, near points, rocky areas, and stumps. When targeting these schools, I suggest throwing something fast, such as a fluke, spinnerbait, or deeper running crankbaits and using a fast, erratic retrieve that will get the entire school riled up and aggressive. Another great characteristic of such baits is their proficiency at covering a lot of water and doing so quickly.

You can also find female bass beneath shady docks, as well. To entice these fish, I’ve had luck throwing jigs, worms, and tubes and using a slower presentation that utilizes the darkness created by the shade. Any fish situated beneath docks are there for one reason: to ambush prey. Usually, the bass will hit it on the drop, but if they’re a little hesitant, give it a few flips and twitches.

It’s hard to plan ahead for post-spawn bass fishing, as this period can differ, depending on location and the characteristics of a specific body of water. Really, all you need to do is keep an eye on the shallows and the beds and when you notice that the bass have moved on, it’s time to switch to post-spawn tactics.

Catching bass during the post-spawn isn’t really that difficult and, like most fishing, simply requires a little knowledge of bass behavior during this time of the year. I think that most anglers get discouraged when they arrive at the shallows only to find that the bass are no longer there. Then, it comes down to actually searching for them and employing a little work, which is something that sight-fishing doesn’t require a whole lot of. As I’ve said, use fast-moving baits in open water and slower presentations around structure where bass ambush prey, and you’ll be fine.