Widely recognized as the most sought after freshwater game fish in the country. The world record is by far the pinnacle of freshwater records, chased by every bass fisherman in the country. Big bass hunters of the trophy states (Texas, Louisiana, California, Arizona, Georgia, Florida) spend countless hours and money chasing that 25lb bass. Largemouth bass are a true predatory fish, many times hiding in the weeds to ambush prey. If you aren’t hooked on bass fishing, the first time you see that wake coming at a topwater you will stay awake at night thinking about it. Most of the time bass do not care what comes along; frogs, shad, minnow, brim, bluegill, snake, and the list goes on. Largemouth Bass are generally the most active and more catch-able when the water temp is between 65 and 75. But don’t limit your fishing to when the water temp is just right. Many professional and experienced fisherman will tell you the largest fish they catch are during periods of extreme heat and when the water gets colder (below 55degrees). The largest reason for this is that you really have to slow your presentation down and fish in such a way for any success at all, the likelihood of catching a lunker greatly increases than if you are ripping a spinner bait in perfect water temp, clarity and weather. Most would agree that fishing for largemouth greatly falls off after the water drops below 50, they are still catch-able, but requires mind numbing patience. The opinions on the best time to catch bass vary with every fisherman out there. Typically the largest fish are taken in pre-spawn patterns. Spawn for largemouth; depending on the lake and what part of the country; happens in the spring when the water in the shallow spawning coves gets up to around 62. Many bass fisherman really start hitting the lake hard when the coves start reaching around 58 degrees. Weather conditions always play an important role of what the fishing activity is going to be like at your lake. The previous few days are as or more important as what is happening on fishing day. If the barometric pressure was in flux the previous 3 or 4 days, then stabilized yesterday, and it’s cloudy today, then you are going to pound them, sometimes it feels like you could throw your truck keys and catch fish. However if today’s weather seems perfect and yesterday the pressure was messed up and moon phases were not ideal, your fishing techniques will have to change for success.

General

• Prefers clear, nonflowing waters with aquatic vegetation where food and cover are available. They prefer freshwater but are very diverse and can be found in brackish and muddy waters, including upper estuaries, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and ponds. Also, they can tolerate a wide range of water clarities and bottom types, prefer water temperatures from 62 to 83 degrees, and are usually found at depths less than 20 feet.

Early Spring thru Spawn

• Shallow Mud bottomed channels that receive the spring sunshine.
• Protected Coves, Coves that are on the same side as the prevailing winds for the season.
• Back ends of brushy shallow creek arms and coves.
• Vegetation beds, Hydilia and Grass.
  • Males move in early to prepare beds.
  • Females will start staging when water temperature is 55-58.
  • Spawn is in full swing when water temperature is 59-63

Late Spring and Summer

• Weed lines
• Rocky points and shore that drop off to deeper water
• Main lake points next to river channels.
• Intersections and bends in river channels.
• Deep channels.
• Humps with rock, standing timber, other structure that will hold bait fish, crawdads, etc.
• Flats, coves with timber, trees, stumps.
• Rip Rap
• Submerged vegetation

Mid Summermmmmmmmmmmm

• Heavy cover
• Dense vegetation
• Canopy shaded coves, either shaded by cliffs, steep banks and or trees.
• Deep water

Early Fall

• Coves and creek channels.
• Back of creek arms and coves.
  • Shallower water as the water temperature starts to fall back into the comfort zone.
• Be on the lookout at your lake for the “Perfect Temp”, it depends on the predominant bait fish in the lake on what that temperature is. There is a magic temperature that they will feed in frenzy just before going deep for the winter.

Late Fall and Winter

• Main lake points that fall rapidly to deep water
• Points and structure that fall rapidly to deep water
• Steep cliff banks
• Deep river channels, on the bend, the steeper the bend the better

 

Largemouth typically will start to move to spawning around 58deg. Spawn is in full swing when the water temperature start to reach the lower 60's (62deg is widely recognized as the key temp). After the spawn, largemouth are generally the most active when the water temperature is between 65deg and 75deg. Above 80deg, the activety starts to decrease, but they are still catchable. In late fall when the water temp dips below 55 the activety falls off again, and below 50deg they feed very little. Food Source Adult bass will eat whatever is available, including fish, crayfish, salamanders, frogs, snakes, mice, turtles and even small ducks and birds.

drop shot in about 30Ft in early cold spring and through reaction inocation big unit spraid grass but the drop shot a 4 inch robo worm prizm crawler. A purple and brown jig in the flooded trees. With these techniques the water temp should be around 47 to 55 to be the best. Thank you, Chad Elliston 

Lake	Latitude	Longitude	Community Rating (Votes)
Wellsville Reservoir - UT	41.62767	-111.93119	4.9 (143) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Sunset Lake - DE	39.62083	-75.73186	4.7 (119) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Hessian Lake - NY	41.31529	-73.99148	4.5 (140) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Lake Sherwood - CA	34.13789	-118.86729	4.5 (95) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Huntington Reservoir - IN	40.8408	-85.44041	4.8 (31) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Henry Hagg Lake - OR	45.4871	-123.22422	4.3 (65) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Amistad Reservoir - TX	29.63102	-101.16717	4.3 (55) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Lake Lemon - IN	39.2602	-86.39054	4.1 (100) --- Wait your voting in process ---
-	0	0	4.2 (65) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Lake Panamoka - NY	40.9237	-72.84964	4.6 (23) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Ratigan Lake - MI	43.03466	-85.43009	4.7 (20) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Keuka Lake - NY	42.52816	-77.14037	4.2 (56) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Lake Templene - MI	41.9032	-85.46833	4.3 (42) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Lake Gerar - DE	38.71935	-75.08176	4.5 (22) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Emmons Lake - MI	42.79389	-85.51344	4.8 (15) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Lake Guntersville - AL	34.53788	-86.12663	4.1 (133) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Lake Fork - TX	32.88242	-95.62363	4.2 (66) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Lake Isabel - CO	37.98449	-105.05278	4.4 (27) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Sleepy Eye Lake - MN	44.31882	-94.22137	4.4 (27) --- Wait your voting in process ---
Clinton Lake - KS	38.91969	-95.40525	4.1 (73) --- Wait your voting in process ---
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Species	State	Weight	Length	Lake	Angler
Bass Largemouth	GA	22 lbs. 4 oz.		Montgomery Lakeÿ	George Perry
Bass Largemouth	CA	21 lbs. 12 oz.		Castaic Lake at the	Arujo
Bass Largemouth	TX	18 lbs. 3 oz.	26 in.	Lake Fork	Barry StClair
Bass Largemouth	MS	18 lbs. 2 oz.		Natchez State Park L	Anthony Denny
Bass Largemouth	FL	17 lbs. 4 oz.		unnamed lake	Billy O'Berry
Bass Largemouth	AZ	16 lbs. 11 oz.	28 in.	Canyon Lake	Randall E. White
Bass Largemouth	AL	16 lbs. 8 oz.		Mtn. View Lake, Shel	Thomas (T. M.) Burgin, B
Bass Largemouth	AR	16 lbs. 4 oz.		Mallard Lake	Aaron Mardis, Memphis, T
Bass Largemouth	VA	16 lbs. 4 oz.		Connor Lake	Richard Tate
Bass Largemouth	SC	16 lbs. 2 oz.		Aiken Co. Pond	Mason Cummings
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