By Scott Norton
Now that we can see warmer weather has penetrated the cold, the waters of the lakes will be rising. Lakes in the lower elevations will start rising first followed by the higher elevations. The higher lakes will get turned on during warm days, so it’s not a bad plan to fish there, you just have to wait and go on those nice days. If you live in areas like the mountains, having a variety of lakes to choose from gives the angler the upper hand. Basically, you want to start on the lower lakes and as the weather warms up you start going higher in elevation to make the spawn season last longer if that is your desire. In the summer you use this same technique to find cooler water during the dog days.
Since the waters are still very cool you will notice that the water will be very clear unless the rain that will be coming has blown out the water. Select your baits carefully. If you are looking at clear water then you need subtle baits with muted color and lighter action. If you are coming into water that is muddy from rain you will want to go with a more aggressive color with a bigger size for more water displacement. The color red works extremely well this time of year because those female bass are looking for crayfish. Crayfish have iodine, which is what female bass need to break loose those egg sacks for a successful spawn. You will have a variety of red such as ones with a ghost see-through red and ones that are opaque. The ghost colors are for clear water and the opaque colors are for muddy conditions.
With the spawn season coming up, availability will be scarce. Do not try and order gear just before your trip. I can tell you from experience, this will lead to disappointment. You will also pay full price for everything. Always be on the lookout for sales through the holidays, in the winter, to get deals and availability.
During the winter ,if you have any issues with your boat ,you are going to want to take care of that before the spring. The marinas are extremely busy this time of year and if you wait until then, you will have to get in the back of the line. I would say this problem is the worst case scenario if you want to be ready. Being ready for the season is a great feeling to have and allows you to concentrate on catching fish. I have been invited to go fishing with a friend before and when you get out on the water you start dealing with mechanical or electrical problems that leave you stranded. If you have all your ducks in a row I suggest you take your own to start with, so you can locate and start tracking bass the first trip out. With every trip you build your plans based off the last trip you took. Have fun and enjoy your time on the water.
Scott Norton is a Western North Carolina native. Born in Asheville, N.C., he is a long-time hunter, angler and weekend warrior.