Finding fish - Winter

Winter fishing usually means deep-water fishing. Bass generally hold near deep-water structures or suspend at comfortable temperatures throughout the winter. They often congregate in schools near ledges and other breaks in the lake bottom. They'll move against vertical structures, such as drop-offs, large rocks, standing timber, bridge pilings, dam walls, and the edges of deep weedlines. Vertical fishing with jigs, jigging spoons, and tailspinners are good ways to reach them.

Now and then, bass will cruise into shallow water that's been warmed by the sun, rain, or warm fronts. This is most common in shallower lakes. The changes are usually too sudden and too brief to affect bass in deep-water lakes.

Finding fish - Autumn

In the autumn, when the water cools down and food becomes scarce, bass still feed quite aggressively on the crawfish and large baitfish that have been growing throughout the summer. Look for bass near remaining green weedbeds where the lake's food chain is most active, around rock piles and other crawfish areas, or suspended along direct routes between deep and shallow water.

Lakes with a thermocline experience a fall "urnover" when the surface water cools enough to break up the thermocline and mix with the now-warmer water below. The shifting temperatures disorient bass and put them off their feed for days. The best solution is to head for another lake. If that's not an option, concentrate on autumn patterns in the coolest water available. After the lake's water temperature has evened out, the fish will be feeding again, with a vengeance.

Finding fish - Summer

Summertime finds bass metabolism at its peak, with bass very active and requiring much more food than usual. Concentrate your fishing on the areas where the predominant food source is available. In many lakes, the main bass diet is shad or some type of minnow. It's rare to find anything but an occasional straggler bass in areas where little food is present.

Look for breakline areas with a lot of structure just outside bays and coves. Bass will hold in deep water near major food supplies, then move up slopes or ledges to feed. Much of the best fishing will be at dawn and dusk, when the sunlight is off the water. During the day, try to find places where the water will be coolest, such as the shadows beneath dense weed canopies, places where feeder creeks enter the lake, and the shady side of any large structure. On many lakes, a persistent thermocline develops during the summer and attracts suspended bass.

Finding fish - Spring: Post-Spawn

After spawning, bass slowly transition into their summer feeding patterns. It takes female bass a while to school up and get back into their regular habits. They often suspend in 15 to 20 feet of water, or move out to the mouths of creeks, coves, points, and deep breaklines. They're often very finicky while they're recuperating from the hard work of spawning.

For a couple weeks right after the spawn, male bass stay close to the newly hatched fry to protect them from predators. They are voracious during this period, striking almost anything that might pose a natural threat to the hatchlings. This makes them vulnerable to almost anything in your tackle box. But make sure you release these fish, so they can go on protecting the fry.

Finding fish - Spring: Spawn

Once the water has warmed up into the low 60 degree or so, bass will begin moving into shallow flats to spawn. You'll find their spawning beds in areas that are most exposed to the warming sun, but protected from rough water. Grass pockets, gravel and clay flats, and deep coves are your best bet.

Female bass become extremely territorial during the spawn. They hover over their nests, giving you a small strike zone. But within that strike zone, they're very aggressive. Anything that poses a natural threat to the nest will be attacked. However, many anglers prefer not to target spawning bass, because of the potential damage to the nests and future fishing.

Finding fish - Spring: Pre-Spawn

The best springtime fishing usually comes during the pre-spawn period, when bass are moving from their deep winter holds toward their shallow-water spawning beds. They're extremely hungry, their metabolisms are speeding up, the water is warming, and food sources are becoming active once again.
The northwest corner of the lake is usually the first place to see action in the spring, because it gets the longest daylight exposure and the strongest effects of warm fronts. Cover tends to be sparse because most of the vegetation has defoliated over the winter. Use your water thermometer to look for the warmest water in the lake with good cover: stumps, brush, and isolated patches of returning weeds. Fish will also suspend near the surface in the shallows where the water is most comfortable.