Kevin VanDam likes to toss squarebills and spinnerbaits to get that big bite as pre-spawn bass are moving shallow to spawning flats and cover. See which bait KVD recommends based on the conditions, cover and visibility.
The pre-spawn is one of those times of the year that Kevin VanDam looks forward to. The bass move shallow and use migration routes to get to spawning flats, stopping along the way, and staging around cover.
When the fish are shallow, a
KVD Squarebill and a
spinnerbait are two baits that KVD always must have tied on. Assess the water clarity and the type of cover to choose the bait that is the most efficient for the situation.
A
Squarebill 1.5 or
1.5 Deep is great around rocks and channel swings. These baits are KVD’s go-to baits in crawfish patterns during the pre-spawn. The Delta Red, Fire Craw, and Brown Craw are colors that are strong during the pre-spawn.
A spinnerbait is hard to beat around grass, brush, cat tails, lily pads, lay downs, and bushes in the pre-spawn. Slow rolling a spinnerbait around cover is efficient because it is weedless and allows for accurate casts. The vibration of this bait is something that a big pre-spawn bass cannot resist.
Bright colors, such as chartreuse, and thumping Colorado blades work best in dirty water with slow retrieve speeds. Keep the bait in the strike zone for an extended period. In cleaner water, a bluegill or a pearl white shad color are best because they are natural colors. KVD catches a lot of big fish by slow rolling spinnerbait around cover.
A key factor this time of the year is to find the stretches that are holding fish. Finding these fishing spots may require covering a lot of water to find one magical 50-yard stretch. A spinnerbait and squarebill are tailor-made for these situations. Get close to the bank and make short, but accurate, casts parallel to the bank.
Target thicker cover or bushes with the spinnerbait and target rocky banks with the squarebill. It is important to choose the bait that is the most efficient for each situation.
