Strike King pro Jay Przekurat explains why he refers to the June as the “post-spawn funk” in Zone 5.
With bass in between locations and phases, Przekurat has coined a term that perfectly describes the unpredictability that comes along with fishing in June. “In Zone 5, June is the month that the bass are starting to become done with the spawn and are in transition. I call this the post-spawn funk period,” Przekurat says. “They’re not at their summertime locations yet, but they just came off the bed so they’re tired but also ready to feed,” shares Przekurat.
Przekurat expects water temperatures to be in the upper 60’s and sometimes into the 70s later in the month. When targeting bass in June, Przekurat chooses baits that move and attract attention from weary bass. “Top water baits as well as other moving baits can create reaction bites to get these bass in the boat,” Przekurat remarks. He chooses to fish in a mid-depth range from 5- to 15-feet of water. “I like to target the first good stopping point outside of a spawning area looking for large groups of bass,” he says.
If the water is clear, Przekurat prefers Clearwater Minnow. In stained or muddy water, he switches to Bone.
The special design of the KVD Splash allows this bait to deliver the perfect balance of spitting, chugging, and walking to entire topwater strikes. KVD Splash includes premium components such as a feather-enhanced rear treble hook, 3D eyes, and an ultra-realistic paint job.
Przekurat’s choice for clear water is Clear Ghost Sexy Shad, while he opts for Bone if the water is stained or muddy.
The walking action of the KVD Sexy Dawg drives fish insane with a simple twitch of your rod. This lure is far casting and is available in two sizes.
He opts for Green Pumpkin in clear water, and switches to White if the water is stained. Black is Przekurat’s first choice in muddy water.
Strike King’s Skip’N Buzz is specifically built to help anglers target out-of-reach fish in places where few baits will go. The Skip'N Buzz features a 4/0 hook positioned perfectly to not hinder the baits skipping ability while maintaining maximum hook ups.
If the water is clear, he will throw Spot Remover, while more stained water calls for Cole Slaw. Przekurat chooses a Chartreuse White in low-vis conditions.
One of the first baits created by Strike King, the spinnerbait is a tried-and-true choice for bass fishermen for nearly 100 years. Replicating the flash of a passing baitfish, Tour Grade Spinnerbaits attract the attention of predatory fish.
He opts for Green Pumpkin in clear water. If the water is stained, he will throw Black Blue, while he will switch to Blue Craw if the water is muddy.
When fish are hunting baitfish in and around vegetation, the Thunder Cricket Vibrating Swimming Jig is the ideal choice. The Blade Minnow trailer efficiently moves through grass.
Zona fishes his Caffeine Shad weightless, rigged on a 4/0 wide gap hook. This weightless presentation allows the Caffeine Shad to pause near the surface and fall slowly when he stops his retrieve, mimicking an injured baitfish.
If the water is clear, Zona prefers KVD Magic. In stained and muddy water, he switches to Siren.
Zona fishes the Caffeine Shad on a Team Lew's Signature SeriesMark Zona Power Finesse 7’4” medium rod, pairing it with a Lew's Hypermag 300 spinning reel.
He fishes the Caffeine Shad rig on 8 lb fluorocarbon line.
