SpringHillFarms

The warming water of the past 2 days seems to have moved the first bass into their bedding areas. I'm sure many others will join the early-birds in the next few days. What are your best ideas on how to catch a big fat female while she's on the bed?

PAHUNTER21

Texas rig, Carolina rigged lizards. If your sight fishing, cast past the bed, and slowly drag it through the bed.

Matt / PA

I'm not sure I understand, but WHY even fish for a big fat female while she is on her spawning bed? Sure it's a good chance to catch some of the biggest fish of the season because you have them in a protective mood and pinned down, but these aren't salmon who spawn and die in massive numbers......even if you gently release these fish why stress them when they are providing the stock for the future population passing on her big fat genes?

If it was me I'd just give these fish a break and let em' do their thing......

mrfritz44

I think in PA it's illegal to actively pursue bass in beds. I'm not positive about this, but I think it may because I used to unwittingly "pursue" them at a lake south of State College. I agree with PAHunter21's technique since that's how I caught them. They'll pick up a lizard dragged through their bed to remove it....that's the only interest they ever seemed to have in baits.

On the flip side, they would slide back to their beds after a good fight, seemingly unharmed. I know the "bass experts" sometimes promote this technique on TV shows so I guess it's not ilegal everywhere.

Fritz

thundermug

Bluegill seem to love eating bass eggs when they cn get to them, try using a lure that looks like a bluegill and pull it rapidly into the bed and pause. The momma bass will hit it harder than you thought possible.

The truth be told...anything that enters the bed WILL be picked up by the bass, taken a few feet away and dropped.

NY Bowhunter

I agree with Matt. I leave them be and let them do their thing. Let em spawn uninterupted if you want to improve your fish population. There's a reason that they have seasons and that is one of them. In NY you can't fish for bass until the 3rd week of June. They will usually spawn from may and just about be through by the time seaons opens. JMO

farmcntry

Bass on the beds now arn't even close to spawning. Around here they will sometimes move to bedding areas as to "reserve" that area, but they don't spawn until late April early May.

I use a lizard or kinomi worm in the bed to aggrovate them until they bite.

NY Bowhunter

Yes but nonetheless they are moving their with the sole purpose of the act of spawning. The males will move in to prepare the nest it's inevitable that the females will soon be following. It's a personal choice anyway. I think there's a big difference between southern and northern states in regards to fishing for bass on the beds. I think more damage will be done in Northern states then down south where they seem to strive and make it through the spawning session every year with a healthy population. Nature has a way of balancing itself anyway.
As for me as tempting as it is. I'll wait until they move off. Contrary to popular belief though, females are difficult to catch when they are spawning. The males especially the little dudes are the aggressors and the ones that will whack whatever swims by them.

ErieBassin

Gotta throw a white floating worm rigged wacky style or a Smithwick rattlin rouge in Chrome & blue are excellent choices. Also a Watermellon with gold flake and just put it in the middle of the bed. With the floating worn and tube baits they will lightly grab the back of the bait and move it off the bed. It takes sometime as much as a hour to get one to inhale it and get a good hook set. But always release the fish after a few nice pictures. Conserve for tomorrow. Best of luck!!!!

farmcntry

I thought that was the popular belief!

If you can easily catch big bass near the beds, they arn't spawning yet. If you can see them and no matter what you throw they won't bite, then they are probably spawning. Especially if you are aiming for a large one and a small male zips in and bite's it aggressivly.