The Challenges
Current: Spring rains will warm the water, wake the hungry fish up, and raise the water level. Wading will be a challenge. Kayaking upstream will be a lot of work. Your main challenge will be entering the water due to the flow. The next challenge will be accurate casts to cover. The fish are tight to current breaks when the water is up. But they are there. Let’s simplify things for spring. Unless the water is gin clear (unlikely but if it happens try the winter or summer finesse techniques), otherwise power fish 100% of the time.
The Bite in Spring: The water temperature is between 50 and 60 degrees and is rising. The fish are loosening up. They have been starved all winter. The bite is no longer subtle. The fish will slam power baits and engulf finesse baits. But you can still miss the bite. Often the water is running in spring due to rains. This will bow your line if casting cross current. This slack will delay any bite signal. They may spit the bait by the time you notice the bite. So cast up stream as much as possible.
The Gear: Casting rod and baitcaster reel
Rod: 6’6″ to 7’2″ medium power, fast/extra fast action casting rod. I’m using a 6’8” medium power, extra fast St Croix Mojo Bass casting rod.
Reel: Medium sized (150 yard line capacity) quality baitcasting reel. I’m using a Shimano Curado DC 150.
Line: 12lb Berkeley Big Game works fine and is affordable. My river is heavily pressured. The fish have seen a lot of bait and line. I use 15lb P-Line Floroclear. This more expensive line is less visible and gives me an edge. I have never cared for braid on a baitcaster, but lots of folks use it.
The Bait
Swimbait: When the water is hovering around 50 degrees, try a 3” or 4” Swimbait with a 3/8 oz jighead first. Work it slow and be sure to let it sink deep. As spring progresses and the water warms, upsize your swimbait and increase the speed. Stick with shad colors. Add a little glitter on sunny days.
These baits work well.
- 4″ Z-Man PaddlerZ
- 3″ Mister Twister Sassy Shad
- 3.5″ Keitech Swing Impact
Spinnerbait: The weather conditions will dictate the blade’s configuration. Use double willow blades in sunny conditions. 3/8 oz baits with a single tail grub trailer work well because they represent a good meal but are not oversized. I use shad patterns, white, chartreuse, or some combination of these colors. Throw to all cover. The spinnerbait is truly snagless and draws immediate strikes in cover. See the page “What spinnerbait should I use?” for a deep dive into selecting the right bait for the conditions.
These baits work well.
- 3/8 oz Booyah Counter Strike Double Willow
- 3/8 oz Strike King KVD Finesse Double Willow
- 3/8 oz Z-Man Sling BladeZ Double Willow
Swimjig: 3/8 oz skirted jig with a single tail grub trailer. Stick with shad colors, white, and chartreuse. Switch to bluegill colors if the fish are tapping but not engulfing the bait. This weedless bait will come through all kinds of cover. Throw to cover and dance it as you reel back so that the skirt flares.
These baits work well.
- 3/8 oz Booyah Swim’n Jig
- 3/8 oz Strike King Tour Grade Swim Jig
Crankbait: 3/8 oz jointed Rapalas and square bills. I use white, shad colors, and bluegill patterns. I fish these everywhere, but especially in the middle of the river over boulders. They are deadly. If they hang on cover. Give them lots of slack. Often only the bill is hung, and the bait will float free, despite all those treble hooks. Tie these on with a Rapala knot to ensure the most action. Rapala crankbaits in particular will not swim unless tied on with a Rapala knot.
These baits work well.
- 3/8 oz Rapala Jointed Minnow 11 (4-3/8″, dives 4 to 8 feet, try working it like a jerkbait)
- 3/8 oz Bomber Next Gen Shallow A Crankbait (dives 1 foot)
- 3/8 oz Bomber Next Gen Square 5A Crankbait (dives 3 feet)
Trailers: 3” single tail grubs work well. They add bulk, color variation, and an enticing tail flutter without interfering with the action of the bait. Three colors work in most situations: White, chartreuse, green pumpkin. No need to match the bait color exactly with the trailer. A little color variation can be enticing.
These baits work well.
- 3″ Kalin’s Lunker single tail grubs
- 3″ Yamamoto single tail grubs
The Technique
With the gear above, I can throw 3/8 oz bait. Not truly downsized, but smallies are not largemouths. I throw them a smaller profile for two reasons. Their mouths are smaller, and big meals are hard to digest. These fish are fighting current. Give them big snacks. The fish are pointed up stream because it brings food right to them. With a few waves of the tail, a fish can sit behind a rock in current and ambush whatever comes by. In current, they sit behind any current break and eat at the buffet. Cast up stream to rocks, boulders, logs, stumps, bridge pilings, anything that breaks the current. Reel slow in colder water. Speed up if you are not getting strikes.