Why That Big Bedding Bass Isn't Biting

Hey, it’s Keith.

As bank anglers, we've all experienced the frustration of spotting a big bass on its bed, only to make dozens of casts without a single bite.

It's one of the most frustrating experiences in fishing.

But sight fishing for bedded bass can provide some of the year's most exciting opportunities to catch trophy largemouth—if you understand how to read the fish's behavior and adjust your approach accordingly.

Most bank anglers make two critical mistakes when targeting bedding bass.

First, they waste valuable time making repetitive casts without changing their approach when a fish isn't responding.

Second, they fail to recognize the different behaviors of male and female bass, often targeting the wrong fish at the wrong time.

Today, I'm going to show you exactly how to read bedded bass behavior to dramatically increase your hookup rate and land those trophy fish that others can only dream about.

BEST LINKS

What I read this week

• When Do Bass Spawn? The Complete Spawning Calendar (Anglers)
  My thoughts: Knowing what temperatures trigger the bass spawn is probably one of the most important factors of spawn fishing. Coty Perry does a great job explaining it. 

• 8 Tactics for Agitation Bedding Bass (Wired2Fish)

  My thoughts: David Brown wastes no time getting right to the good part in this article: What to do when that bedding bass spots you!

Deal of the week

DiscountTackle.com has a bunch of items on sale right now. Discounts include 20% off fishing line and sales on Lew’s and 13 Fishing baitcasting reels. LIVETARGET Crawfish are only $1.50 a pack! 

How to Read Bedding Bass Behavior for More Hookups

After years of struggling to catch bedding bass, I finally took the time to learn about their behavior so I could better understand their spawn. 

Understanding the Spawning Process

The spawning process follows a predictable pattern that you can use to your advantage:

• The male (typically smaller) creates and prepares the bed.

• The female arrives to lay her eggs, which the male then fertilizes.

• The female will stay to help protect the eggs but leaves sooner than the male.

• The male remains to guard the eggs against predators, like bluegill and perch.

This gives you a narrow window to catch the larger female bass—and that's the fish most anglers are after.

Reading the Female's Behavior

The female's position in relation to the bed will tell you everything about her willingness to bite:

• The closer she sits to the bed, the more likely she is to strike.

• If she refuses to leave the bed for more than a few seconds, she's primed for aggravation techniques.

• When she's "locked" on the bed with no male present, she's most vulnerable to attack.

Strategic Decisions Based on Behavior

Most anglers don't adjust their approach based on what the fish is telling them. Here is a quick list of some things to look for:

• If the female rarely leaves the bed: Focus entirely on her and avoid catching the male, which could spook her away.

• If the female is reluctant to lock on the bed: Sometimes catching the male first can trigger the female to move up and take a more protective position.

• Pay attention to timing: If she returns to the bed within seconds after leaving, leave the male alone and focus on her.

Know When to Move On

I'll typically give a bedded fish up to 45 minutes before writing it off and moving on.

While these tips are helpful, sometimes it just ain’t happening! There’s no sense in wasting the day trying to get that bass to open its mouth.

Plenty more are waiting for you down the shoreline.

Start walking while keeping your eyes peeled for beds. Remember, big females with no males present are going to be the easiest to catch.

That’s a wrap

I’m excited to be making a trip this weekend to scout for bedding bass. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes! If you make a trip, I’d love to hear about it, especially if it involves catching a big girl on her bed. Hit reply and let me know!

Until next Wednesday . . . tight lines and bedding bass, friend!