Baitfish patterns

If we know anything as bass fisherman, we know one thing... that bass move around.. a lot. However, their constant migrating has a specific reasoning behind it, and its actually quite simple. Bass follow the bait they eat basically anywhere. Knowing where the baitfish go during different times of the year will help you become a much more successful angler and will help you hone in on those mobile bass. As I mentioned above, different seasons make the bass' natural forage tend to move from  place to place. Knowing where the bait is, simply means knowing where the majority of the bass are. Below we discuss where the bait migrate to and when they do it throughout the year.

Summer.
The season of summer can bring so many different conditions to fish. Baitfish at this time are usually pretty small and juvenile. They usually can be found around structure like docks, laydowns, and vegetation. These baitfish can be pretty active during the summer months, making them a big target for hungry fish.

Fall.
This is one of the best seasons for bass fishing in my opinion. During fall months, bait will move up into tight pockets and creeks, narrowing the field of play significantly. The forage will basically be cornered by bass up in these tight bodies of water, making the fishing usually very successful. The baitfish, although bunched tightly together, are usually very active during the fall, triggering insane strikes from bass.

Winter.
Although winter can seem like a tough season to get out and get some fish in the boat, if you know where the bait has moved, you can more than likely get a decent bite. During the winter, baitfish will move back out of those small creeks and pockets and migrate solely into deep, large bodies of water. They, like bass, search for warmer water once the temperature starts to drop.

Spring.
Cover, cover, cover. That is the number one place to target schools of bait during the spring. Like summer, bait will stick tight to cover and be fairly active. very rarely will you find schools out in open water during spring months, making different structures a hotspot for quality fishing. 

Once again, knowing where the baitfish are while you are fishing is key to knowing where the bass are. Study hard on baitfish patterns where you live and remember, different species of bait may have different migration patterns! Be sure to study up on the bait in your own lake so that you can have more successful fishing year round!


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