5 Hot Spring Bites

It’s been a long winter, and anglers from coast to coast are chomping at the bit to get out there and bend a rod for the first time in months. Luckily for us, as the fish awaken from their winter slumber, they’re just as interested in feeding as we are in catching. What target gives you the best chances of success on that first fishing trip of the season? These five headlining bites top the charts for those of us who are psyched to spring into action this spring.

1. Prespawn Bass

The largemouth bass is the most popular freshwater gamefish in the nation, and spring is prime time for battling a bucketmouth, so let’s start there. As ice disappears from northern waters and the days grow longer in southern parts of the country, the bass will be biting, but they won’t hit their spring stride until water temps reach the upper 40s and lower 50s. At this point they enter their “prespawn” phase, feeding hard to build their energy stores back up for spawning.

Where to find ’em

During this period, the fish will shift from deeper to shallower areas as they look for warmth where there’s also structure and bait. Thermal banking can become a big factor as sun-warmed riprap, grassy points, and shallow coves with stump fields or dark bottoms can heat up by several degrees in the afternoon. In some conditions rain can create runoff that’s warmer than the main body of water it’s entering, and feeder creeks will be bass magnets, too.

How to catch ’em

This is a time when artificial lures outshine even natural bait, because you’ll want to stay on the move and prospect multiple areas until you locate the fish. Creature baits, swimbaits, stickbaits, and crankbaits can all work well. If you’re fishing during a warming trend, expect the fish to be shallow and try pulling a shallow-running crank or stick across points and along riprap near a depth change. If a cold front has pushed through recently, shift to slower moving baits you can work along the bottom in slightly deeper water.

2. Perch Runs

For countless anglers in the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes, and the northern and middle Atlantic Coast, the perch runs are the first harbinger of spring. Both whites and yellows run when water temperatures reach the mid-40s and the fish get ready for spawning, and the bite generally continues as temperatures climb to the mid-50s and the spawns begin. Yellow perch get the action rolling first, then the white perch join in, and in some areas, the two species will be caught side by side. Soon the yellows leave the spawning grounds and the last of the run consists of white perch only.

Where to find ’em

This will vary a bit depending on whether you’re fishing in freshwater or tidal zones, because perch live in both. In impoundments and large lakes, expect to find them in relatively shallow water and river mouths draining into larger bays. In tidal zones, the perch will be migrating far up into freshwater rivers and creeks. In both cases the fish become concentrated and, in some cases, may be crammed fin-to-fin in feeder creeks you could almost jump across.

How to catch ’em

Perch of both varieties will slam small minnow. They can be fished on tandem rigs, darts, or simple top-and-bottom rigs. In tidal areas, many people prefer to cast shad darts tipped with grass shrimp. These can also be suspended under a bobber in shallow creeks and feeders.

3. Squid-Hunting Yellowtail

Few fish are as prized by West Coast anglers as yellowtail, which migrate north along the coast as the waters warm into the lower 60s. Though a few holdouts may be present in cooler waters, this is when the fishing for them really heats up. When squid spawn at night around the islands off the California coast the yellowtail tune in big-time and the bite hits its peak.

Where to find ’em

Yellowtail are open-water fish but they prefer to hang around structure, and in the spring are often caught down deep as opposed to on the surface where you’ll commonly find them in summertime. Look around underwater ridges, rocky underwater drop-offs, and sometimes near kelp beds. Often the fish will be feeding on the up-current side of the structure in 50 to 150 feet of water, and sometimes even deeper. Remember, however, that they can still come up to chase bait, and you should always keep a sharp eye out for bird activity.

How to catch ’em

When the squid spawn is on, the most common tactic is to fish squid baits on or near bottom. Fishing live baits such as anchovies or sardines can also be highly effective, and many anglers enjoy jigging with heavy spoons. If you go the artificial route, be sure to try the “yo-yo” technique: Drop the jig all the way to bottom, crank it back to the surface full-tilt, then drop again and repeat. And remember, as a rule of thumb, faster is better with these fish.

4. Stocker Trout

When it comes to put-and-take fishing programs, states all across the nation have trout stocking down to a science. Many states stock hundreds of thousands of trout annually, and some stock trout by the millions. Rainbow is the most common species but browns, goldens, and others are stocked as well.

Where to find ’em

Stocked trout are unquestionably the easiest fish of all to locate because most state stocking programs announce when and where they will be released into the water. Simply go to your state agency website and look for the schedule. In lakes and ponds, expect the stockers to remain free-swimming in open waters, often near the surface. In streams and rivers, look for them in deeper holes or behind large rocks in the riffles.

How to catch ’em

Again, trout take the prize for easiest. Simply bait a hook with trout bait in the form of dough balls or nuggets (you can find prepped trout baits in any tackle shop). You can fish it weighted on bottom, under a bobber, or cast out with no additional hardware. If you want more of a challenge, stockers can also be caught with small spinners and minnow-imitating lures. Purists, however, will reach for their fly rods and offer up an insect-imitation that matches the hatch.

5. Spring Reds

The prized red drum is one of the most popular saltwater species along the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and it’s no wonder why: You could tie into a 50-inch “bull” red and enjoy the battle of a lifetime, or hook a slot-sized fish (legal harvest slot sizes vary by state) and take home one of the best fresh fish dinners around.

Where to find ’em

This will vary by region but, generally speaking, coastal bays and inlets get top billing. In some areas, spring reds will be found in the backwater shallows, and in others, along jetties and pinch-points between the ocean or Gulf and a bay or sound. During the spring the redfish that prowl these areas often school up in large numbers, and catching one after the next becomes a distinct possibility.

How to catch ’em

The best tactic varies a bit according to location, but it’s a sure bet that redfish won’t pass up live or fresh shrimp. Livies can be freelined or fished on a jig head, while fresh dead shrimp are usually fished on bottom. Those who prefer to cast artificials will generally opt for soft plastic jigs rigged on leadheads. At times, however, the redfish will feed right on the surface, and in this case, nothing beats “walking the dog” with a topwater lure. Anglers, it’s been a long, long winter of cold breezes and fishless weekends. Are you ready to get out there and have some fishing fun? We thought so – and partaking in any of these five hot spring bites will be a great way to get the ball rolling.