Westernbass Magazine June 2011, Page 26

Westernbass Magazine June 2011, Page 26

DELTA SPAWN

DELTA SPAWN

The ‘On again - Off again’

By Mike Folkestad

A

s we all know, with one storm after

another this past winter and early spring,

it has kept the Delta water higher, dirtier,

and cooler than normal. This has made it very difficult for bed fishing and patterning the pre-

spawn fish movements. Every time we have three

or four days without a front and a warming trend,

the fish have been setting up to start their spawning

ritual. It’s very obvious with a warming trend before

a tournament at the Delta there are a lot of bags

weighed in over 20 lbs. Then here comes another

front and the fish back off again. It gets very difficult

to pattern the fish. It’s back and forth like a yo-yo.

The water started becoming clearer in late April, still

making it very hard to see any bed fish. The bass have

been spawning since March, but the fry haven’t started

toshowupmuchuntillateApril. Also,therehasn’tbeen

agoodbuckbiteguardingthebedsandfry. It’sdefinitely

differentthannormal. Thereshouldbealotoffryand

plentyofbucksprotectingduringthespawn. Instead

we have seen a lot of 20 lb bags during the warming

trendsandfewbucks. Thenherecomesthefrontand

the females have backed off, you should be able to catch

many bucks guarding the beds, but it

isn’t happening.

I have found and believe that

the bucks are there, and that you

need to fish slower and more

precise. Meaning, that you have to

fish where you think a bed would

be and then sit there long enough

to where it irritates the buck. If you

bring your bait through too fast you

are not going to get the bite. This is

happening because you cannot see

the fish.

Starting in late April, the water

began clearing enough to see

beds at low tides. This gave me

confidence that the beds are there even though you cannot see them at high tide. I have found that you need to concentrate on fish spawning areas with 6” to 1’ of water over the top of the grass swimming bait like a horny toad over the top. If you had 2-3’ of water over the top, fishing a spinnerbait worked well. Both of those baits covered a lot of water. If I found a spawning flat with enough water over it I would use a spinnerbait or a horny toad to locate the fish. Then I would go back and pitch Senkos or jigs into the holes. Using these reaction baits at these tide levels above the grass seemed to be the most productive way on locating the areas where the bass have set up to spawn.

Also, fishing the steeper banks during the frontal conditions seemed to work well, then adjusting to the shallowerbanksduringthewarmingtrends. Dropshotting 7” Roboworms or nail rigged 5” Senkos seemed to work well on the steeper banks during the frontal conditions. During a warming trend fishing a weightless Senko, spinner bait, or horny toad, seemed to be more effective.

Keep a journal so when this same scenario arises in the upcoming years, you will know what the fish were doing under these conditions in 2011.

This has been a very unusual year; I have never seen it like this. Finding beds are more difficult with

the high, dirty, and colder water. You need to

have confidence in the areas that you are fishing.

Believe in your ability and experience throughout

the years and you will catch more bass.

I would like to thank my sponsors: Daiwa, Mercury, Ranger, MotorGuide, Roboworm, Yamamoto Baits, Angler’s Marine, Seaguar,

Reactor Watches, Tackle It, and Lowrance.

If you have any suggestions on topics

to write about you can contact me at:

mikefolkestad@att.net Also visit my

website at www.MikeFolkestad.net and

check out www.TCsportsReport.com

Photo By Jody Only

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