Match The Hatch for bass.

As we roll from through May my favorite time of the year to fish has arrived. The bass have pulled off the banks and and chasing Shad. The Shad are balled up and spawning and the bass know it. So do the crappie, catfish, and trout. Mornings spent with small silvery lures, paying attention to the birds, listening and watching for Shad schools and bass chasing them. I absolutely love it.

So what’s the point of my post? It’s simply a suggestion to slow down and pay attention to your surroundings. You will see clues to what everything in the lake is eating. When you catch a bass look in its mouth. Are his lips all red and beat up from picking through the rocks for food? Or are they clean with sharp teeth from chasing open water fish (Shad). Did the fish puke anything up? Match that.

Anyways I’ve spent the last few weeks chasing the Shad spawn and my arms and thumbs are beat up! Here’s a few pics.

Not pictured lure wise was the flutter spoon and kastmaster.

i'm and Santa Rosa.  looks like Lake Sonoma!! 

good call on the shad.  I got thumped hard on a big shaddy swimbait at clearlake.  yesterday.  but they were still on the occasional bed.  in which the shaky head got them involved.