Kayak anglers can sneak up on big fish
Bass, green trout, ditch pickles… no matter what you call them, largemouth bass are the most sought-after freshwater gamefish and are accessible to kayak anglers in every parish in Louisiana. From lakes, rivers, bayous, ponds, to canals and drainage ditches, if it holds fresh/brackish water, it likely holds bass. Bass are fairly easy to catch using a wide variety of live, natural and artificial baits. They are hard fighters and put on a heart-stopping aerial show with their multiple leaps once hooked. The spring months of March, April and May are some of the best months to catch them. Mild temperatures and predictable patterns make for enjoyable and productive trips this time of year.
Bass in Louisiana generally start spawning in February and activity continues for a couple months wrapping up in April. Certainly, there can be spawning activity just before and just after these months, but February to April is most active. Spawning season sees female bass fat and laden with eggs. The activity moves closer to shore with females coming to deposit their eggs on nests built by the males. Males generally seek out harder bottoms with sand being ideal, if available. The nests are generally in shallow water with depths being controlled by water temperature and clarity. Warmer water is best for the eggs and clearer water lets sunlight penetrate further.
Stealthy kayak fishing
The females go on the nest for up to a couple days during the process of laying the eggs. This provides the best time to catch a fish of a lifetime as the females are at their heaviest weight. The male subsequently moves in, fertilizes the eggs and stands guard over the nest. Males are aggressive in their nest defense and readily strike intruders. Creature baits dropped in and near the nest are often struck by these males. The females may hang close by for a few days but eventually wander off to recuperate from the rigors of egg-laying.
Nest fishing, while controversial in some circles, can provide kayak anglers with a unique opportunity to sneak up on these big fish. Like whitetail deer during the rut, spawning bass are preoccupied with the spawn and less spooked by surrounding activity and even boats. Stealthy kayaks can get up close to these fish for some line-stretching action. Bed fishing requires height to see down into the water. Therefore, kayak anglers must be able to comfortably and safely stand and cast in their kayak. Firmly setting the hook while standing is a tricky operation and one that has left many kayak anglers jettisoned over the side on a missed set or popped line.
What to use
I personally find the Texas-rigged plastics to be the best for spawn fishing. They are weedless, make little sound/splash when being cast and can be fished ultra-slow, even not moving at all. I’ve seen bed fish look at a lure for several minutes, even over a half-hour, before deciding to strike. These lures can be cast or crawled directly into the bed where small twitches and wiggles can finally be the last straw to trigger a strike. Be it a 10-inch worm or a 3-inch creature bait, sooner or later the fish gets tired of the nest invader.
You can bundle up a full supply of worms, creature baits, hooks and weights all in various sizes and colors in a small bag or plastic tray. If you stick with it, even when the bite is slow, eventually you will trick one into biting. If you are going to give bed fishing a try, practice standing and casting in your kayak ahead of time. When fishing, a wide-brimmed hat and good sunglasses makes spotting the fish and beds much easier.
Bed-caught bass should be quickly released as close to the area caught as possible. Research has shown that these fish generally return to the nest and pick up where they left off. However, bass put in a livewell and subsequently released far from the nest location drastically reduces the chance of a return.
Other areas
However, bed fishing is not the only way to catch spawning bass. Search for coves and cuts and other protected areas where bass prefer to nest. Work these shorelines with a variety of baits to cover the entire water column. A bass is just as likely to hit a plastic lizard landed in the bed as it is a noisy topwater lure worked slowly over the surface. The strikes are almost always reaction strikes and are hard and aggressive.
Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, Rat-L-Traps, topwater lures and a variety of Texas-rigged soft plastics all work well during the spawn. Fishing could actually be a bit slow but knowing that every cast could land a personal best keeps the enthusiasm up for that possibility. Thoroughly work all shorelines, stumps, brush piles and coves.
The general regulations for bass in state waters is 10 per angler, per day, with no minimum or maximum size limit. However, many specific areas and lakes have their own, more restrictive regulations. Check with LDWF for regulations on the area you plan to fish. Although frowned upon by many tournament bass anglers, keeping bass is legal and they are quite tasty. While it is always a good idea to release egg-laden females, keeping a few smaller bass to eat is a great reward for a long day of fishing.
