About 60 million people in The United States consider themselves to be anglers. Since you’re reading this post, we’re willing to bet that you belong to that group and with spring here, it’s a great time to love fishing!
Spring is a unique season when it comes to fishing because it’s when we start to see a lot of popular fish spawn. While bites aren’t as big in spring as they are in the summer, competition among fishers is lower which can make for a great experience.
Spring fishing comes with some intricacies that every fisher should know before whipping out their favorite pole so keep reading to learn everything there is to know!
1. Get Ahead of Weather Variability
In most parts of the country, spring brings a lot of weather variability. Some days will feel unseasonably warm and reminiscent of summer. Other days will be cold and rainy.
Get a beat on what the weather is looking like in your desired fishing area and check back with it frequently. Nothing ruins spring fishing quite like getting rained out the moment you put your boat in the water.
2. Warm Water Means More Fish
The warmer the water is where you’re fishing, the more likely you are to find fish aggregating in the area. Take advantage of that insight to improve your chances of bumping into bites.
For starters, try and fish whatever the warmest day of the week is. Then, look out for shallow pockets of water that get hit directly by the sun. Finally, fish during the early afternoon so that water has had all morning to heat up.
By doing those things, you’ll raise your chances significantly of bumping into pockets of fish that are ripe for the picking.
3. Opt for Smaller, Live Bait
There’s a popular saying in fishing that goes something like, “Big bait means big bites.” That may be true but what you’ll find is that spring fish tend to be a little more skeptical when it comes to bait. Consequently, you’ll have more luck using smaller bait, even if it means catching smaller fish.
In addition to using smaller bait, spring fish are more likely to interact with moving bait as opposed to bait that’s static so bring something live along if you really want to skyrocket your chances of success.
4. Be Patient When Setting Your Hook
By the time you feel a tug on your line, if you’re like most of us, you’ll likely start pulling quickly to see what’s on the other end. In the springtime though, as we mentioned, fish are skeptical. That means it’ll take them extra time to swallow your bait.
To make sure you don’t start pulling too early, when you feel a tug on your line, start by softly pulling, just to pique interest. After doing that, you’ll likely feel a big bite and strong tug which is your cue to set your hook and start reeling.
5. Night Fishing Means Fewer Bugs
Summer is usually the worst time of year to fish when it comes to mosquitoes. Depending on where you are though, spring may be as bad if not worse.
For those of you that can’t stand fishing around bugs, nighttime is a great period to fish since not as many pests are congregating. The downside to nighttime fishing is the cold and visibility issues, both of which can make catching fish harder.
If you are going to fish at night, scout fishing spots during the daytime so you know exactly where to drop your line once darkness sets in.
6. Try Canoe or Shore Fishing on Small Lakes
A big disadvantage to small lakes is that most prohibit the use of motorboats. While that might be a deal-breaker for you, we recommend keeping an open mind as small lakes during the spring can yield impressive amounts of fish.
When fishing a small lake, taking a canoe or rowboat out on the water could give you access to all sorts of great bites. Similarly, shore fishing might yield some great results depending on where you’re at.
7. If the Water Is Clear, Observe From an Elevation
One of the most frustrating parts about fishing during any time of the year is locating fish. If the water you’re fishing is clear, exploring it from an elevation can make things easier.
As far as getting an elevated view goes, if there’s an overlook of some sort above where you’re fishing, you could take a moment to inspect the waters from there before hopping in your boat. If not prohibited by your lake, a drone can also help determine where fish might be from the sky.
8. Never Forget Safety
Whether you’re reading these great tips for spring fishing and absorbing ours, or getting fishing advice from anywhere else, there’s nothing more important to keep in mind than safety.
Always bring a life vest, bottled water and if possible, a friend whenever you go fishing. Putting a few minutes of forethought into safety could save your life.
We think that’s a trade-off worth making.
Spring Fishing Is a Gem of an Experience
If you’ve never tried spring fishing before, we recommend you do. While there are some concessions to fishing in the spring, armed with our tips, you’ll find that fishing before summer hits can be an absolute treat!
Our team wishes you luck on the water and welcomes you to check out more of the recreational content on our blog for additional tips and tricks.
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