When you ask fishermen, “What is your favorite time of the year to catch bass?” you usually get “the spawn” or “the fall.” You rarely get the answer “the post-spawn,” but that is exactly what I’ll tell you is one of my favorite times. I’ve never been much of a sight fisherman, and I usually fish the spawn by flipping or casting baits to likely areas. But the post-spawn period really allows me to focus on the migration of baitfish. After the bass spawn, and sometimes during, the shad spawn begins here in Florida. The months of April and May can really be exciting for catching numbers of bass feeding on shad.
Shad Spawn Facts
Shad love to spawn on the cover that bass live in. For example, shad will spawn on wood, cypress trees, boat docks, lily pads, grass, and even underwater grass such as hydrilla. Typically, shad will spawn at night, but there will be a brief period of time in the morning that will be productive. If you catch it at the right time and in the right place, you will really be on something special. Jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, and topwater really produce during the shad spawn. It can be a lot of fun.
The shad spawn isn’t the only thing going on during this time. In Florida, the bluegill also begin to bed. Often times at the same time the bass are spawning. Finding bluegill and bream beds can lead you to some giant bass. Swim jigs, swim baits, glide baits, and topwater can produce some trophy’s during that time.
So, the post spawn period can be an exciting and versatile time to fish. An angler has a lot of options for locations and baits. It’s a great time to catch large numbers of active fish, along with large hungry fish.