Stop chasing ghosts: find those vanishing post-spawn bass

Hey—Keith here.

It's May, and the spawn has wrapped up in most places. This is when many anglers start to panic.

I was reminded of this recently while fishing at a nearby lake with tournament angler Kenny Zulli, one of the best bass anglers I know.

We started the day early, as the sun peeked above the horizon. 

At first, Kenny noted that fishing post-spawn is often difficult because "the fish are impossible to pattern." 

But that's when he tied on a weightless Fluke and began working it with a lazy retrieve across the surface.

After casting, he paused to answer a question I'd asked. When he resumed reeling, he had his first bass of the day on the other end.

"The shad spawn is starting," he said, "so they're looking for shad."

He continued with the same presentation—casting and letting the minnow sink for a few seconds before a gentle retrieve—and the bass began mauling that little fluke.

By day's end, Kenny looked at me and shrugged. "Maybe post-spawn isn't so bad after all."

Kenny was right though—post-spawn bass are so tough to catch because they aren't really in a pattern yet. 

BUT if you can crack the code, figure out what they want and where they're located, you can absolutely load up—even from the bank.

Too many shore anglers throw in the towel during this "transition period," believing all the fish have moved to deep water only accessible by boat.

The reality?

Many bass stay shallow for weeks after spawning, and the ones that do move deeper will often return to the shallows to feed. 

Those fish are absolutely catchable from shore if you understand how they behave.

I've noticed that most anglers make several critical mistakes when fishing the post-spawn:

• They assume all fish are in the same stage at once. 

• They stick to spawn areas too long after the fish have moved. 

• They ignore transition routes that fish use between spawning and summer areas.

Today, I'm going to teach you everything you need to know about catching post-spawn bass from the bank during this challenging but potentially rewarding time of year.

BEST LINKS

What I looked at this week

• How to dissect different post-spawn fishing phases (Wired2Fish)

• 4 ways to catch more post-spawn bass (BassResource)

• Don’t hate the post-spawn (Carolina Sportsman)

• Top 5 baits following the SPAWN (Jason Christie Fishing)

• How to catch post-spawn bass from the bank (Wired2Fish)

Deals of the week

• Walmart is selling the Strike King Fire Tiger Spinnerbait for $1.00 apiece.

• Tackle Warehouse has an entire page dedicated to Buzzbaits, and some are marked down as much as 58%.

• Bass Pro Shops has the Strike King Flood Minnow marked down from $6.99 to $3.97

DEEP DIVE 

Understanding the post-spawn transition

First, let's clear up a critical misconception: post-spawn bass don't just disappear. They follow a very consistent pattern as they transition to their summer locations.

After spawning, bass are physically stressed and often in recovery mode. For 1–2 weeks, they'll often position on the first significant structure along their transition route, which is usually the first point, ledge, or drop-off near the spawning area. 

This is the period many anglers find most challenging.

Once this recovery period ends, the bass population typically splits into two groups:

• Shallow-water returners: About half the bass push back into the shallows to feed, often targeting bluegill and bream beds or the shad spawn.

• Deep-water movers: The other half continue their journey outward to deeper summer haunts.

As a bank angler, you're going to focus primarily on that first group—the shallow returners—though you can still target the deeper fish from shore in many cases.

Finding post-spawn bass from shore

When fishing from the bank during the post-spawn, look for these key areas:

Recovery spots (1–2 weeks after spawn)

• First breaks or drop-offs near spawning flats

• Isolated cover adjacent to spawning areas (single stumps, small brush piles, etc.)

• Secondary points inside coves where bass spawned

Feeding locations (2+ weeks after spawn)

• Docks providing shade and ambush points

• Shallow wood cover, like laydowns and brush

• Emerging vegetation and grass lines

• Bluegill spawning areas (look for circular beds in 1–4 feet of water)

• Areas where shad are spawning (riprap, sea walls, and hard banks)

The key as a bank angler is recognizing that you need to move and cover more water. Don't get stuck fishing the same spot all day. Walk the shoreline and hit different areas until you find active fish.

Top lures for post-spawn bank fishing

For recovery-period bass

• Wacky-rigged stick bait: The subtle action of a 5” YUM Dinger is perfect for finicky, recovering fish. Skip this under docks and around isolated cover.

• Lightweight jig (¼ oz): Drag a small jig like a Strike King Bitsy Bug slowly along the first drop-offs from spawning flats. Green pumpkin with blue flake mimics bluegill.

• Finesse plastic (drop shot or Ned rig): When bass are completely lock-jawed, finesse presentations like a KVD Drop Shot Half Shell can still get bites.

For active feeders

• Weightless fluke: Like Kenny discovered, this is deadly during the shad spawn and for bass chasing baitfish in the shallows.

• Buzzbait: Perfect for covering water in the low-light hours when bass are actively feeding.

• Hollow-body frog: Excellent around emerging vegetation and for triggering reaction strikes from otherwise inactive fish.

• Jerkbait: Mimics injured baitfish and can call fish up from slightly deeper water that's still within casting distance of shore.

Timing your bank fishing during post-spawn

• Early morning (dawn to 9 a.m.): Prime time for the shad spawn typically occurs during the first hour of daylight. Use moving baits like buzzbaits, flukes, and spinnerbaits.

• Midday (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.): Bass often retreat to shade or slightly deeper water. Focus on docks, overhanging trees, and the deepest water you can reach from shore.

• Evening (5 p.m. to dusk): As the sun gets lower, bass often return to shallow water to feed. This is another prime window for moving baits.