Join professional angler Justin Cooper as he shares some of his favorite techniques for catching bass during the prespawn period. He focuses on using a bladed jig and a lipless crankbait, working them over some submerged hydrilla to find and catch bass before they move into shallower waters to spawn.
BLADED JIG SETUP
- BLADED JIG – Bass Pro Shops XPS Chatterbomb by Z-Man, colors – Pale Shad & Flamin’ Pumpkin: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- TRAILER – Bass Pro Shops Super Shad Swimbait, colors – White Pearl & Fire Pumpkin: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- ROD – Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite Technique Casting Rod, 7’3″ Medium Heavy: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- REEL – Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite Baitcast Reel, 7.5:1: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LINE – Bass Pro Shops XPS KVD Signature Series 100% Fluorocarbon, 17-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
LIPLESS CRANKBAIT SETUP
- LIPLESS CRANKBAIT – Bass Pro Shops XPS Rattle Shad (1/2-ounce), colors – Crawfish Boil Color: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- ROD – Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Signature Series Casting Rod, 7’2″ Medium Heavy: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- REEL – Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Platinum Signature Baitcast Reel, 8.3:1: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LINE – Bass Pro Shops XPS KVD Signature Series 100% Fluorocarbon, 14-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
FISHING THE PRESPAWN
Largemouth bass are putting the feedbag on as they prepare for the spawn, making this a prime time to fish. Cooper capitalizes on this scenario by targeting fish that are beginning to stage up into their spawning areas. He experiments with with different lures and adjusts to the conditions accordingly, maximizing his chances for success.
FINDING THE RIGHT SPOT
Finding solid areas of submerged hydrilla is key. Cooper explains that this type of vegetation grows in areas with shallow water, typically in depths ranging from 4 to 10 feet. Cooper then uses Livescope to identify those consistent grass patches. These patches are areas where bass gather, and he focuses on working a bladed jig and lipless crankbait just above the grass to trigger bites.
BLADED JIG VS. LIPLESS CRANKBAIT
Bladed jigs and lipless crankbaits both work well in similar conditions, but bass may have a preference on any given day. The bladed jig excels in slower retrieves as it ticks the grass. On the other hand, a lipless crankbait is perfect for a faster, more aggressive retrieve. Cooper rotates between these two lures, adjusting to the bass’s mood and feeding patterns.
BOAT SETUP
- BOAT – Ranger Z521R Commanche: Check out at Ranger
- OUTBOARD – Mercury Pro XS 250hp: Check out at Mercury
- TROLLING MOTOR – Garmin Force Trolling Motor: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- GRAPHS – Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 126sv Fish Finder/Chartplotter with Navionics+: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- FISH FINDER – Garmin GPSMAP Touch-Screen Fish Finder/Chartplotter Combo, 12-inch: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- FORWARD-FACING SONAR (FFS) – Garmin LVS34 LiveScope Plus Live Scanning Sonar Transducer: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- SHALLOW WATER ANCHOR: Power Pole 8 ft. Blades: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
