The month of May can always be a challenging month in catching bass. The spawn is over and the bass are in transition gradually moving from the spawning areas into deeper water as the water continues to warm. With the lack of deep grass we're concentrating in areas that have natural or man- made structure and cover along creek channel points and bends, main and secondary points, main lake river channel shelf- ledges, ridges and humps.
In the first of the month we'll start the day by fishing the shallow flats and flooded buck brush (if the lake is high) close to deep-water with buzz baits, stick baits, swimming frogs, spinner baits, top water plugs, shallow diving cranks, finesse and soft plastics until the sun gets over head. Once the sun gets overhead, we'll back out to deeper water and concentrate in the bends of the creeks with crank baits and
Texas or Carolina rigged soft plastics. Later in the month as the water continues warming and the lake is usually falling, the main lake points, river channel ledges, ridges and humps will become more productive. If you can find the structure and cover holding bait -fish you will usually find the bass. Schooling activity will start increasing as the water continues warming so keep a shallow diving crank bait, lipless crank bait and top water plug handy for schooling bass.
May is the month the bream start spawning in the shallows. A cane orm fiberglass pole with a bucket of crickets or worms will surely fill a cooler. Look for honey-cone circles in 1 to 3 ft of water to locate the beds.
The White bass have migrated back into the main lake and are usually holding on the outside bends of the main lake river channel sand bars and off main lake points. Slab spoons and tail-spinners worked on the bottom are most productive. Keep a shallow diving or lipless crank bait handy for schooling fish.
The Crappie will be moving back from their shallow spawning flats into deeper water. Work shiners and jigs over cover in 15 to 25ft of water at the mouth of the creeks and pockets leading to the main lake.
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Greg Crafts
Toledo Bend Guide Service & Lake Cottage
159 Toledo Forest
Shelbyville, TX 75973
936.368.7151
www.toledobendguide.com
gcrafts@bigfoot.com