Springtime Bass Fishing – Its All About Water Temperature

To reel in those bass fish of your dreams you not only need to choose the correct lure and the correct and proper speed of retrieve. Water temperature – especially in the spring water season means just as much lure choice and speed of retrieve. Especially in the spring water season bass fishing success are a mixture and a result of all there components of a bass fisherman’s repertoire.

It can be more than said and emphasized that the key to early springtime bass fishing success is a warming trend in which the water temperature generally rises just 4 or 5 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s as if only a slight change like this 4 or 5 degrees change in water temperature is more than enough to make the bass fish more active and have them start to move onwards towards that shallow water and onwards to more and shallower water. Of course the actual temperature is relative to whatever region of the country or even countries that if you are fishing. Obviously if you are in Illinois or Michigan warmer water will be the norm as compared to an area such as Northern Manitoba Canada where of course average water temperatures will be cooler.

The two factors that commonly cause water temperatures to rise in the spring are of course sunshine with its warmth, and surprisingly rain. Of the two rains affects bass and bass fishing much quicker and promptly. Even February rains in the more southern states of the US are several degrees warmer than lake water. Thus you may want to fish in places and areas where the runoff is flowing in, such as smaller tributaries creeks and even ditches. It can be said that larger tributaries and rivers may become too muddy if they are flushing a lot of new water into their system.

Bass fish will tend to move to these smaller runoff areas within even hours. You may even see the bass chasing small minnows and small baitfish. It happens all that quickly. It’s all about water temperatures. Small crankbaits and spinnerbaits fished near the surface of the water are most effective since the warmer water will stay on top of the cooler water. Of course heat rises.

Unfortunately however this runoff activity seldom lasts longer than two or three days because as the water disperses it gradually cools. The bass fish will slow down accordingly. However this can be a good time to move to the larger tributaries. In the larger tributaries try the same techniques as employed previously, once the waters have cleared.

Watch out that several days of warming sunshine in early springtime can trigger these same quick changes in bass activity. All it takes is just four to five degrees of change in water temperatures. The best warming trends are those in which the nighttime air temperatures do not drop below the temperatures of the water, meaning a full 24 hours of continuous warming. It seems that after only 2 or 3 days of such conditions, the bass will begin moving to the creeks, bays and smaller coves and pockets. Usually this is to the northern shorelines since they receive the most sunshine overall. Lastly remember that slightly “stained” or “dingy” water will warm quicker than the clearest water.

Remember in the end its all about catching those Bass fish.