Early Spring Spotted Bass

March and April are perhaps the best months of the year for catching spotted bass. In early March, the spotted bass will move up from their deep-water haunts and start feeding in the shallows in preparation for the spawn. In early spring, fish with a 3/8- or a 1/2-ounce spinnerbait with willowleaf blades and a chartreuse-and-white or a solid-white skirt. Search for red clay banks where crawfish and shad congregate, which means spotted bass will go grocery shopping there. Fish a point with larger chunk rock instead of pea gravel. Fish your spinnerbait fast on 12- to 15-pound test line in water depths from 2- to 10-feet deep on these points in the early morning. As a switch-up tactic, switch to a Carolina-rigged plastic lizard with a 1/2-ounce sinker and fish waters 5- to 15-feet deep, during the midmorning period. You'll never need to fish more than 20-feet deep for spots during March and April. Target main river points and manmade brushpiles with the Carolina-rigged lizard. Use at least a 3- to a 4-feet-long leader and a leader line smaller than 12-pound test.