The proper pre-spawn approach is kind of a moving target, but covert ops usually prove prudent.
Notwithstanding the fish’s burgeoning zeal for this pregame warm-up, you’ll want to match their increasingly shallow positions with a heightened sense of sneakiness.
“Probably the same general rules apply as any other time with water clarity and things like that,” Bassmaster Elite pro Greg Vinson said. “Anywhere you think is a prime target you want to be stealthy with your approach. You want to make a reasonable cast, and you’d prefer not to get hooked on the end of a very long cast if you can help it because that give the fish more time to come off.
“Unless I have a specific spot marked, like a stump or a particular point of grass, I’m usually trying to cover as much area as I can with my cast. That’s why you use more of the hard baits and spinnerbait when you’re looking for pre-spawners.”
As for tackle selection, long rods (7 feet long plus) optimize your casting distance for search mode, while shorter sticks (6 to 6 1/2 feet long) fare better for short-range presentations to specific targets.
