Our next Best Day of the Bass Spawn is almost here, and if you live in the in the middle swath of the country, you’re going to want to get on the water. The sport of fishing doesn’t get much better than targeting a big bass on a bed you can see. Sight-fishing for spawners is the most interactive form of bass fishing, allowing you to watch the fish react to your bait in real time just a few feet away. In other words, you don’t want to miss it.
Though the bass spawn is over and done with for anglers in the extreme South and is yet to come for others in northern states, we are smack in the middle of the spawn for all the states in between. So we caught up with professional bass fisherman Cody Huff, who lives about as central in the U.S. as you can, in Ava, Missouri.
The Expert: Pro Bass Angler Cody Huff
Huff one of the fastest-rising stars in professional bass fishing, excelling in the college ranks at Bethel University and now competing week in and week out on the Bassmaster Elite Series. Though Huff is known particularly for his prowess with forward-facing sonar, he’s also had a lot of experience fishing for spawners on Table Rock and Bull Shoals in Arkansas and Missouri. And, in his opinion, now is prime time for catching spawners. “I lean towards the May timeframe,” he told F&S. “I would say right around May 10th.” Here’s why Huff likes that time frame for the middle of the country, plus his tips and tactics for catching bass now.
Typical Regional Spawning Conditions Around May 10
Why May 10th? For Huff, it boils down mainly to water temperatures, air temperatures, and stable weather. “It seems to me like once water temperatures start staying in the 60s, and you get a few of those good 60-degree nights, things really start to change fast,” he said.
The fisheries around Huff are diverse. Some are flood-control lakes with fluctuating water levels, while others are more stable. “I’ve seen the fish go spawn before the water ever gets in the bushes, and I’ve also seen them go spawn when the lake is 25 feet high,” he said. While he does believe that water levels can play a role, nothing makes as big an impact as water and air temps.
Moon phase is always a hot topic when talking about the spawning patterns of bass. Some say the full moon or new moon are imperative. Others not so much. “Everybody’s got their own theory to it. I would say that the moon does play a part. But, in my opinion, I think it’s a lot to do with whenever the weather finally gets stable. That’s kind of what I’m looking for—and what we tend to get in this part of May.”
A Bonanza of Spawning Bass
Huff lives in the unique strip of the country where all three popular species of black bass thrive: smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass. With all three often spawning simultaneously, we were curious which he targets when, and where.
“You can catch all three of them off of the bed in the same day. Once it starts happening, I’ll see smallmouth, a few Kentuckies (Kentucky spotted bass), and some big largemouth. I feel like the spots and the smallmouth probably do spawn a little deeper, on average.”
The bigger largemouths are the ones Huff targets when tournament fishing. But all three can be a lot of fun to fish for when just looking to have a good time. As the spawn winds down, look for the spots to be the last ones lingering around their beds. “Our spots are different from a lot of people’s, because we’ve got Kentuckies, and they kind of act silly. They do whatever they want, whenever they want.”
Top Baits and Tactics for May 10
Huff has a specific approach to spawn fishing that serves him well around the home as well as around the country. He’ll use a search bait to cover water and look for productive areas, and then he’ll slow down to pick apart any beds he can actually see with different baits.
When in search mode, he loves to throw a frog or an X-Rap Prop. “I can kind of bomb the frog out, skip it under the bushes, and stuff like that to locate productive water. Then, a lot of times, I’ll work the bed itself with either a Texas-rig, or I’ve got to where I’ll use a Tokyo rig most of the time.”
Huff pointed out that droshots are great for bed fishing, too, since they can be left in the bed and worked right in the fish’s face. But the Tokyo rig offers up a more power-fishing friendly alternative to the dropshot, one that he prefers when fishing for big ones on beds. And there are subtle tweaks Huff likes to use to make the Tokyo rig even more effective.
“A lot times, I’ll put two weights together on the wire, so I can sit there and shake that bait and make those weights click together. That bait gets in that bed, sitting there clicking, and it just seems like it drives them nuts. And on top of that, you’re keeping your bait up out of the dirt, keeping it up in their face a little bit more.”
May 10th may be a little early to catch bass spawning in your area, or it may even be a little late for some. But for Huff, it’s just right. If the water is just now hitting the 60-degree mark where you are, or is still hovering in the 70s, you should be able take these tips to the your local fishery and try them out for yourself. Our bet is they’ll work for you as well.
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