Seasonal Overview (Locating Bass)

The first step is to locate the fish, and this is done off the water. Keeping an eye on the weather, tracking water levels, and studying maps is what will consistently keep you on the fish. The seasonal behavior of bass can provide dynamic fishing opportunities year round, provided your lake doesn’t freeze. As the winter comes to an end and spring has officially sprung. The evening temps start to rise above freezing and the bass will start to move from their winter holding water. Try to focus on areas around four feet deep that slope to 10-15 feet deep or the shallowest part of your body of water.  

Anglers like to think there is rhyme and reason to the movement of bass, but I encourage you to keep an open mind. Spontaneity and randomness definitely factor in. One thing is clear though. Once the water temp hits the low 50’s F- the bass will start to chase streamers. In the early spring I would focus on rocky areas, especially places with chunky rock on the bank, and I would avoid areas with a lot of dead aquatic vegetation. Each week as the weather warms the fishing should get better and better. For me (in S. Korea which has a similar climate to Virginia) that starts in April. A March trip would involve dreading the bottom with heavy flies and a type 6 full sinking line. Usually, in mid April you can get a lights out day of aggressive big fish on every piece of structure, and then closer to the end of April it is all small 1 lb “buck” bass (small males). 

The spawn happens when the water temperature consistently is above 60 degrees F. Small male bass will move onto the spawning grounds, water around 3-10 feet with hard gravely bottom, brush, or standing timber. In Korea this happens the last week in April and the first week in May. You can fish during the spawn, but your catch rate will go down slightly, as some fish just aren’t interested in eating. Bass don’t all spawn at the same time. They will be coming and going. Some spawn early and some spawn late. Post spawn fishing starts the second week of May, and in terms of numbers- this can be your best opportunity. The post spawn period is when nearly all of the fish in the lake will be shallow. By June the bass will have spread out again (but still catchable with good night fishing opportunities), and in July the “dog days” begin. 

Fishing during the “dog days” is a little of this and a little of that. The heat and humidity can make it uncomfortable to fish all day, but…thunder roll. Then comes the rain. Korea has a 2-3 week rainy season at the end of July and into August that makes fishing next to impossible. Korea often experiences a typhoon or two in early September. Fall feeding starts after the weather stabilizes and the evening temps get closer to 40 degrees F. Consistent feeding occurs, but in my experience it is less reliable than the Spring time feeding. The fish tend to be really spread out on main lake points, secondary points, coves, and drop offs. So, hit the obvious spots, and covering water will increase your chances of success. One of my favorite trips is after the first hard frost, but after that every week the bite will diminish (unless there is unseasonably warm weather).