Bass fishing in the Shenandoah River and local lakes picked up in the month of March. But due to low and clear water conditions bass fishing was fairly tough. Water temperatures were in the 40’s during March, but according to reports I get from other anglers there were bass being caught.
During April, water temperatures will continue to rise into the 50’s. Begin to look for April bass to move out of their wintering holes into shallower waters, which will trigger a pre-spawn pattern. Over the next several weeks bass will be in a transition phase leading up to the spawn.
Bass should start to spawn around the full moon in April and into the first part of May. Look for bass in and around shallow flats that have a lot of cover, such as wood, rocks and laydowns. At times bass will move back into the deeper pockets. Weather plays a big role in this transition.
Feel free to throw a variety of lures for the shallows. Start with spinnerbaits, square billed crankbaits, and one of my favorites for locating pre-spawn bass – the rattletrap. At times they may even hit topwater offerings.
Can’t find bass in the shallows? Throw jerk baits and deeper diving crankbaits just off the flats. Also, when bass have backed off the flats, target them with a jig with a chunk trailer. There are times when you can’t beat a jig. When fishing the jig, fish areas with a lot of cover that’s out of the current or around current breaks.
Always keep an eye out for baitfish, if there’s baitfish in the area you are fishing most likely bass will be close by.
April is a big bass month in the Shenandoah Valley, so put that new fishing license to use, get on the water, and just maybe you’ll catch that lunker bass of a lifetime.
This month we celebrate Easter. There will be dinners, Easter egg hunts and going to church, but it is so much more!
We celebrate the resurrection of Christ Jesus! All our sins were laid on Christ, he paid our sin debt for us. He loved us so much that he went to the cross on our behalf, so that we can have forgiveness for our sin, and be saved.
The next time you see the symbol of the cross, consider what it means to you.
He is not here, He has risen – Luke 24:6.
God loves you all!
Mike
