The bass spawn is one of the best times of the year to catch your personal best largemouth or smallmouth. As water temperatures warm across the country, bass begin to gorge on food in preparation for the grueling spawning process. Though broken up into different phases, the spawn itself takes place in shallow water, where bass make beds and fertilize eggs.
While this is a great time for shore anglers to target bass, those with a kayak can access areas that foot and boat fishermen can’t reach. And if you have your kayak rigged correctly and know where to look, you can find big, unpressured bucketmouths and bronzebacks. Use these five tips to take your kayak bass fishing to the next level this spring.
1. Properly Rig Your Kayak for the Spawn
During the spawn, I rig my kayak with the bare essentials: rods, net, paddle, and a kayak crate loaded with lures. The purpose is to help free up space on the deck so I can easily maneuver and stand to get a better viewpoint of beds in shallow water. If I know I’m traveling a long distance, I’ll install my motor, but that's a nice-to-have accessory, not a mandatory piece of gear.
I prefer to keep my electronics on my kayak during the spawn for the mapping features. It makes finding spawning areas—shallow flats near depth changes—much easier. However, you should turn off the sonar. You won't need it.
As far as gear and tackle, three rods are all you need. Keep a finesse spinning rod, a heavy flipping rod, and a medium-heavy general-purpose rod ready to go at all times. And bring a variety of bed fishing baits to rotate through. One kayak accessory I love during the spawn is my Power Pole Micro Anchor because I can quickly deploy it and stay locked in on a bed. The YakAttack ParknNPole is an excellent budget option for keeping your boat in place—but this pole only works well in muddy areas.
2. Find Beds Only Accessible by Kayak
One of the biggest advantages of kayak fishing is the ability to reach locations that boat and bank anglers can’t. Kayaks don’t need much water to float and are easy to drag over shallow areas. Sometimes, it takes less effort to paddle to a secluded spot than to walk there. Other spawning spots aren't even reachable by foot.
The first step is to locate these areas. Topographic maps are critical to finding spawning areas that boat and bank anglers can’t reach. Look for shallow flats (about 5 feet or less) near a staging area. These spots usually feature a depth change with structure like a brush or rock pile.
Many boat anglers can’t reach the narrow, shallow creeks where bass spawn. If you can find these remote areas, you'll find bedded, unpressured fish. I use the maps on my Garmin fish finder, but you can also purchase topo maps online or use an app like onX Hunt. The more time you spend studying maps, the less time you’ll spend wandering on the water, trying to locate fish.
3. Stand In Your Kayak for a Better Perspective
Most modern fishing kayaks are designed for anglers to stand and fish. If your kayak is stable enough, I recommend standing while fishing. Standing in your kayak while searching for beds (bright round spots about 1 ½ to 2 feet wide in gravel bottom areas) will help you spot them sooner, especially when wearing polarized sunglasses. This also helps avoid spooking fish before you even cast to them.
Once you’ve located a bed, cast past it and bring your lure into the vicinity. If the bass is aggressive, you’ll only have to get close. If not, you’ll need to bring it onto the bed and entice the fish to eat. A Texas-rigged lizard or stick worm are excellent bait choices. So is a floating worm, a wacky rigged stick worm, or a Ned rig. These finesses-style presentations are effective bed baits.
4. Be Stealthy
Kayaks are already more stealthy than boats, but you can still do (or avoid doing) several things to remain unnoticed on the water. First, when you approach a bed, turn off any electronics you have on. You don’t need them while fishing in shallow water, so it’s best to reduce the number of things that could reveal you’re in the area. Second, avoid big splashes. You can create fish-scaring splashes with your paddle (motor if you’re still using it), lure, or by rocking the kayak. Lastly, avoid bumping or dropping stuff on your kayak. We’ve all heard that loud thump while paddling, reeling in, or changing a lure, and it’s a dead giveaway that you're there. Stay quiet and stealthy when searching for and fishing over beds.
5. Pester Instead of Paddle
Bedded bass can be extremely finicky, but don't give up if a fish isn't interested in your first few offerings. I start with a Texas-rigged 6-inch black lizard. If they ignore it, I switch to a larger profile lure like the Berkley PowerBait Gilly. Using a larger lure reduces the chances of catching smaller fish but is more appealing to the big mamas. If reaction baits aren't working, finesse-style lures are a great choice. Wacky rigging a soft plastic or using a Ned rig is a good way to get a defensive bass to bite. Rotate through several lures and presentations before moving on to the next bed. And if you find a hot lure, stick with it.