A shad spawn will dictate post-spawn bass locations as well as an angler’s presentations. (Photo courtesy of Seviin Reels)
May 19, 2025
By Game & Fish
Courtesy of Seviin Reels
What’s so great about the post-spawn? It’s a recuperation period. Bass are hungry and rapidly becoming more aggressive. But it’s also a relocation period, which means the locations where post-spawn bass may be found can change from day to day. Thankfully, while post-spawn bass locations are variable, they are also highly predictable.
Post-Spawn Bass Behavior Think of post-spawn largemouth behavior like this: All post-spawn bass are eager to feed, but there are two primary things going on. Most male bass engage in a distinct fry-guarding ritual for about a week or 10 days immediately following the hatch. Meanwhile, the females are immediately out, abandoning their spawning sites and heading back toward deeper water. Once the neurotic males abandon their posts (often after snapping and devouring a good percentage of their own offspring), they may follow the same basic routes offshore as the females. The whole post-spawn transition usually lasts around a month.
Post-Spawn Locations Post-spawn bass routes often mirror pre-spawn routes. Their first stop is usually the first major drop off, which varies by location, but is often an emerging weed line or a secondary point leading to deeper water. Regardless of the actual depth, which may be anywhere from 7 or 8 feet to 15 or 20, structure is key. It doesn’t matter what it is, but something will attract and hold the bass (and forage) while they feed and adjust to the shallow-to-deep transition. In reservoirs that have creek channels, the locations where those channels intersect with structure can be golden. From these first, primary recuperation stops, post-spawn bass will continue to migrate to places like shallow humps, weed beds and primary lake points. Some will spend the rest of the year there, and others will depart and disperse throughout the system.
Advertisement
The post-spawn for bass is short-lived, but highly productive. (Photo courtesy of Seviin Reels) Post-Spawn Presentations Once anglers understand a bit about the ways post-spawn largemouths behave and have a good idea where to find them, the next step is dialing in the specific presentations to which they’re vulnerable.
Fry-guarding males stationed near cover or structure on the first break off the spawning flats can be very easy to catch, despite the fact that they’re not programmed to eat during this brief period. Capitalize on their plight by offering baits that threaten the offspring they’re programmed to defend. Soft plastic jerkbaits and stickbaits are a favorite here, but topwater lures, and moving baits like crankbaits, swimbaits, underspin swimbaits and spinnerbaits all resemble threatening school-raiders and will elicit strikes.
For true post-spawn bass transitioning to deep water, specific presentations should be dictated by the structure, cover and depth at which the bass are holding, as well as available forage. This may be crayfish, bluegills, frogs, shad, but it’s worth noting that a shad spawn can sometimes coincide with the largemouth’s post-spawn period. When this brief but significant event happens, bass key in, actively hunting and targeting weak or dying individuals within the swarms. When present, a shad spawn will dictate post-spawn bass locations and it should also dictate an angler’s presentations. Top post-spawn transition baits include hard and soft jerkbaits, topwater lures, frogs, jigs, shakeyhead jigs, wobblehead jigs, Texas and Carolina rigs, swimbaits, and Damiki rigs/jighead minnows.
Advertisement
Post-Spawn Tackle Recommendations Given the wide variety of effective post-spawn presentations, suffice it to say that almost any spinning or casting setup has its place. That said, optimizing rods, reels and lines for specific presentations always yields more success. Here are some solid recommendations:
Jerkbaits are a good choice for post-spawn bass fishing. (Photo courtesy of Seviin Reels) Hard and Soft Jerkbaits A 6-foot-6-inch to 7-foot medium power, fast or extra-fast action spinning or casting rod is ideal, with a St. Croix 68MXF being the sweet spot. Preferred is 10-20-pound fluorocarbon line because it sinks and has minimal stretch. Pair jerkbait casting rods with a slow- or medium-speed casting reel like the SEVIIN GFC166 , GFC173 , GSC166 , or GSC 173 .
Crankbaits for post-spawn bass fishing. (Photo courtesy of Seviin Reels) Crankbaits Crankbait rods should have a softer, moderate action to absorb the shock of a bass slashing at a moving bait and to keep the treble hooks in place during the fight. Rod length starts at 6-6 when accurate casts to specific target windows are required and can go up to 8 feet when long casts are needed in order to get deep-diving crankbaits down to depth. In most cases, a 72MM , 72HM , or 72MHMF are ideal. A 12- to 20-pound fluorocarbon line is preferred. Reels should prioritize power over speed. A SEVIIN GFC166 or GSC166 is an ideal choice.
Choose a medium to heavy power rod to fishing topwater lures for bass. (Photo courtesy of Seviin Reels) Topwaters Tackle choices will vary due to the variety of lure styles and retrieves. Moving baits like buzzbaits and propbaits deserve a softer moderate or moderate-fast action like a 70MHMF . Popping baits, frogs, and walk-the-dog-style baits need a faster tip to animate the lure. Choose medium to heavy power depending on the cover you’re fishing. Thicker vegetation and areas with wood, dock pilings or other trouble call for a heavy stick like a 74HF . A rod like a 70MF or 71MHF is ideal for areas with less cover. Medium-speed casting reels like the SEVIIN GFC173 and GSC173 work great for most topwaters, but many anglers prefer a faster 8.1:1 (GFC181 or GSC181 ) for frogging and other presentations that require picking line up quickly.
Spinnerbait fishing for post-spawn bass. (Photo courtesy of Seviin Reels) Spinnerbaits Similar to crankbaits and chatterbaits, a spinnerbait is a reaction bait, meaning bass strike it while it is moving. This requires a softer rod to convert strikes and land fish. A medium-heavy power, moderate-fast action rod like you would use for a buzzbait or surface prop-bait is also perfect for spinnerbaits. A rod like this can also fish most common crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, and chatterbaits effectively. A 70MHMF is a perfect choice. Most anglers present spinnerbaits on 12-20 pound fluorocarbon line and use a 6.1:1 or 7.3:1 casting reel .
Stickbaits Whether rigged Texas-style or wacky, stickbaits can be deadly on post-spawn bass. Spinning tackle gets the nod in this finesse presentation. The most popular stickbait rods range from 6-8 to 7-6 in medium-light to medium-heavy power, depending on nearby structure. Fast or extra-fast tips are helpful in detecting strikes on falling baits. There are many solid candidates, with a 73MXF perhaps being the best all-arounder. 10-lb. braided line in a high-vis color also aids in detecting strikes but be sure to use an 8- to 15-pound fluoro leader. A smooth and powerful 2500 or 3000 size SEVIIN GF, GS, or GX spinning reel is a perfect match.
Stickbaits can be deadly on post-spawn bass. (Photo courtesy of Seviin Reels) Swimbaits & Swimjigs Paddletail soft-plastic swimbaits in the 3-4-inch range rigged on ¼- to ½-oz. jigheads or underspin jigheads catch bass everywhere. They’re a go-to choice for targeting post-spawn bass above weed beds, through sparse grass, along thick weed edges, around docks, on points, or in open water. They are versatile in that they can be counted down and fished at a variety of depths, and retrieves can be varied as well. Almost any casting or spinning rod can fish one of these baits. Moderate-fast or fast actions are ideal when paired with medium or medium-heavy power. A 71MHF is a great choice. Once again, 10- to 20-pound fluorocarbon line is preferred. A medium-speed SEVIIN GFC173 or GSC173 reel gets the nod for casting rods, while a 3000-size GF, GS, or GX pairs great for swimbait fishing with spinning rods. Duplicate these setups for swimjigs.
Bottom-Contact Baits Jigs, shakeyhead jigs, wobblehead jigs, Texas rigs, and Carolina rigs all play for post-spawn bass. Highly sensitive, powerful rods are the rule, with 7 feet to 7-5 medium-heavy to heavy, extra-fast action casting models serving anglers best. One exception is the Carolina rig, which is often fished in thicker vegetation. Rods for this technique still need loads of power but require a more moderate action. Shakeyhead jigs are another exception. More of a finesse technique, shakeyheads are often fished on spinning tackle—specifically a longer, medium-to-medium-heavy power rod like a 73MXF or 73MHF. Most of these bottom contact presentations are best fished on braided lines in the 15-40-pound range. Preferred casting reels have a fast 8.1:1 retrieve to pick up line quickly before hooksets (GFC181 or GSC181 ). Shakeyhead spinning presentations call for a large-capacity 3000 size GF, GS, or GX spinning reel loaded with 20- to 30-pound braid and a 15-pound fluoro leader.
Use forward-facing sonar to catch post-spawn bass fishing. (Photo courtesy of Seviin Reels) Damiki Rigs/Jigging Minnows Primarily a forward-facing sonar technique, Damiki rigs/jigging minnows are a finesse technique best presented on medium-light to medium power, extra-fast spinning rods between 6-3 and 7 feet in length. Your stickbait setup can be used to fish these lures. St. Croix 63MLXF, 63MXF, 66MLF, 610MLXF, and 70MF spinning rods are popular choices. Use the extra capacity of a 3000-size spinning reel to manage the lighter lines used for these techniques. The SEVIIN GX3000 is ideal. You can use straight 6-to 10-pound fluorocarbon line or very light 10-pound braided line, but if you go the braid route, be sure to use an extra-long 8-to 10-pound fluoro leader.
