How to Develop a Pattern for Catching Bass Part 1

Part 1 - Understanding Seasonal Tendencies ofTIP: Be sure to wear your Polaroid sunglasses and
Bassyou will be able to see the bass on the beds.
How many times have you heard or read aTIP: Watch your temperature gauge and when it
newspaper on a bass tournament winner usingreaches 60 - 65 degrees, the bass will begin
such and such pattern for winning the tournament.moving to bedding areas and starting to build
What are they talking about? What is a pattern?beds.
A pattern is the method, how, what, sometimesI personally am not in favor of fishing for bedding
when, and where in a given lake you are catchingfish. That is my preference because the spawn is
bass consistently.so important to the continuation of the species in
There can be a pattern within a pattern and thereour lakes. If you should catch a spawning
can also be more than one pattern used duringbig-bellied female, please release her after you
the day. Typically patterns are easier to develophave taken pictures.
for reservoirs.As the spawn is completed and the eggs begin
Now let us discuss the general tendencies of basshatching, you will see thousands of little fry
during particular seasons of the year. Once youswimming around the vicinity of the beds. The
understand these general tendencies, patterningmale and female bass are now protecting the fry.
bass becomes a little easier. We will start with theThe majority of the time the fry will be in a tight
first season of the year:bundle and close to the surface. The adult bass
Winter:will be close by protecting them. Postspawn ends
During this period the bass are most lethargic.when the protecting bass pass through the fry
They tend to stay in one place and do not movebundle eating some as they leave. This is a signal
far or fast to eat. One good characteristic of thisto the fry that they are now on their own and
time period is the fact that the bass will tend tobegins the Postspawn period. Now these adult
school and if you can find a school you should bebass have not eaten for several weeks and are
able to catch multiple fish. Water temperatureslooking for a quick, easy meal. Bass are going to
are generally in the 30's in reservoirs, dependingbe thin and lethargic. The key to fishing these
on your location.bass will be to fish slowly.
As the water begins to warm, the bass, based onAs postspawn ends, the adult bass begin fanning
the life cycle of a bass, move into the Prespawnout over the lake.
Stage. All mature bass go through this stage. InSummer:
the life cycle of a bass, much of their behavior isThe warm weather or summer period begins
based on the life cycle and the weather.when the post spawn ends. Bass will gain some
Prespawn is the stage prior to the spawn. Duringweight and become more aggressive. They will
this period, bass are foraging for food prior to thebegin to school and chase bait. As the summer
spawn. They need to feed as much as possible tocontinues, the techniques and patterns will change.
carry them through the spawning period.You will have to figure out where the bass are
Prespawn usually is in the early part of the yearand play with the various techniques until you
and lasts 4 - 6 weeks based on the weather.figure out what patterns will work. When these
Here in central Arkansas, the prespawn usuallychanges occur is all dependent on the weather
starts the first week of February and lasts untilconditions. You will have to figure it out for each
the last week in March or about a week beforelake you fish.
the March full moon. During this period bass areFall:
reasonably active and feeding thus making aFall and summer run together most of the time.
fisherman's life pretty nice.For bass, fall is the time of a frenzied activity.
TIP: Keep your eyes open for the food sourceThe fall is usually a time of frequently changing
whether minnow, shad, or crawfish. If you canweather conditions. The weather will have a big
find the food, the bass will be close by. Strikesinfluence on what bass do. Keep your eye on
are usually hard and quick because the bass isyour temperature gauge. When water
concentrating on food and is easily fooled.temperature gets down in the mid 70's, fall tactics
Spring:start being employed.
In early spring, March and April, the bass begin theWinter:
spawning process. When the water temperatureDuring this period the bass are most lethargic.
moves into the low 60's, male bass begin lookingThey tend to stay in one place and do not move
for bedding areas in order to build a nest. Duringfar or fast to eat. One good characteristic of this
this period, bass are concentrated in one spot -time period is the fact that the bass will tend to
the beds. They only move to protect the bed orschool and if you can find a school you should be
their eggs. They do not eat during this period butable to catch multiple fish. Key to fishing this time
will strike baits that appear to be a threat to theof the year is to fish slowly.
nest or eggs. Bass beds are generally closeNow you have enough information to begin
together, so if you catch one look around anddeveloping patterns for specific times of the year
you will find more. The spawn on Lake Ouachita,based on the general tendencies of bass during
here in Central Arkansas, generally lasts from thespecific periods of the year. In Part 2 of this
full moon in March to the full moon in May. Thearticle we will develop some general patterns for
fish here spawn in waves during March, April andspecific times of the year and then I will show
May depending on lake conditions, temperatureyou how to fine tune the pattern down to
and moon phase.specifics.