Top bait choices for bass fishing this spring
The top choices by a lot of anglers for bass in spring seem to be spinnerbaits, crankbaits and vibrating plugs. These baits allow you to work fast and throw casts along the bank and to cover lots of water area. Cover as much shallow water as you can, concentrating on mud and clay banks, points, coves and shallow flats.
With spinnerbaits this time of year, bass will most often hit them as they drop, so cast to likely holding cover and let the lure free-fall to the bottom with no tension on the line, but without excessive slack. Watch for a slight twitch sideways or a stop in the lure’s fall, then set the hook quickly.
Mouths of lakes are good spots for locating bass and panfish this time of year because of food being washed into the area and because of the warmer temperature found there. Try using jigs, thin-minnow plugs, fat crankbaits, live minnows or crayfish. You can try a minnow and a bobber for a variety of fish. Set the bobber two- to sixfeet above a #1/0 to 4 hook with a single split shot sinker crimped on the line a foot above the hook. Cast a spinning outfit or flip it with a fly rod or cane pole next to docks, submerged logs, brush piles or bridge abatements. Try different depths and keep the minnow a foot or two off the bottom.
Vertical jigging is a good method for stripers, largemouth or small mouth bass, and crappie. Work a slab type spoon of 1/4 to 1-1/2 ounces at deep water areas such as submerged humps, bridge pilings, deep points and river channel drop-offs. If you can locate the fish with a depth finder, lower the spoon to the depth or slightly above it, then work the lure with sharp lifts of the rod. As you drop the spoon, lower the rod tip just fast enough so it falls freely without forming excessive slack in the line. Most strikes will come as the lure flutters down.
As I’ve written so many times before, the plastic worm has a well-deserved reputation as a consistent fish catcher for all species and well worth a try. Try dark colors on bright days, bright colors on dark days.
Also as I’ve suggested to help you in your fishing, get together with Yuma area fishing clubs at their tournaments — you’ll learn a lot from successful, avid anglers sharing their tips and techniques.
Fishing clubs
• Desert Bass Anglers “the fun way to fish”: The next tournament on the river is May 6. Call Mac or Bobbi McDermott for details at 726-1984.
• ABA American Bass - Yuma division: If you haven’t fished the Yuma area ABA tournaments, it’s not too late. Call Jeff Woods at (952) 8240553 for information on becoming a member and get signed up to fish.
• Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club: Lots of fishing opportunities this time of year with the Shoot Bang derby May 27 at Mittry Lake that will end this year’s big bass qualifying with the big bass dinner June 9, followed by the Big Bass derby June 10 launching out of Fisher’s Landing. Mark your calendar to include the July 15 Bob Hefner Memorial derby season finale at Mittry Lake. Costs and options: $40 per boat, $5 big fish option and $5 for the 2-pound pot option, totaling $50 in all with 3 places paid/100 percent paid out.
A very good reason to join the YVRGC to get in on all the fishing fun and super great practice. Call Becky Mae Pope at 502-0121 or email maybhunting@gmail.com or attend any club meeting at 7 p.m. the 1st Wednesday each month at American Legion Post 19, 2575 S. Virginia Drive. Check the following results from latest derbies:
• Thanks to all for coming out and supporting the Jimmy Phipps Memorial bass derby. David Parrish related how Jimmy was one of the pillars and great ambassadors of the fishing community. Jimmy had been the weigh master for the club’s many bass derbies for the last several years and weighed every fishing with a smile. YVRGC agrees that Jimmy will be greatly missed not only by club members but the whole fishing community. It is an honor to now have one of our early tournaments in memory of this great man. 40 boats including teams from San Diego, Phoenix and Tucson enjoyed fishing Jimmy’s derby with many great raffle prizes as well. Joe Mayerchik/ Jeff Cotten captured first place with 17.42; 2. Dustin Covey/Brandon Phipps 17.19; 3. Tyler Shaddy/Steve Laurel 16.33 with Bob LaLonde/ Jackson Anthony taking big fish honors with a 7.07-pound bass, 2 lb. pot enjoyed by Logan Walker/Bruce Drake with 2.06.
• The club’s Sportsman’s Hideaway derby results: 1. Robert Murray/Mike Edwards 19.05; 2. Chris Walker/Jeff Pacewic 17.86; 3. Travis Hurley/Kenny Ellsworth 15.27 with big fish honors to Kellan Morris/ Ebb Deardorff with 7.90 and 2-lb pot winners Dave Shill/Joseph Williams with 2.04.
• Yuma Draw-Series/Pro-Am Bass Club: Call Manuel Garcia at 210-0043 to learn what they have to offer.
• Yuma’s High School Bass Fishing Club: A great way for any youngster to learn all about fishing for bass. Members of both the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club and Desert Bass Anglers assist the kids in providing boats and equipment as well as guide the youngsters, both guys and gals, in gaining fishing know-how’s. Call Terry Hurt, school sponsor, at 580-6567 or visit StudentAnglerFoundation.com to get started. Any interested high school student will be part of an exciting year for our next generation of anglers at Fisher’s Landing/Martinez Lake.
Shooting sports
• Yuma 4-H Shooting Sports: The 2017-18 training season will begin in September. If you have a youngster who is either a member of 4-H or interested in being a part of a 4-H club in order to get into their shooting sports program, call the 4-H office in Yuma at 726-3904 or Stanley Gourley at 344-0740 to learn what they offer. It’s not too early to plan ahead.
• Renegade Archers of Yuma: If you and your family might like to learn all about shooting archery from the beginning, call me at 247-4450 or Kevin Wilson at 726-0953 to get together at the Foothills Archery range for shooting fun and great practice. The practice range is open (free) daylight hours all week for your much-needed practice and enjoyment. Do what you can to prevent vandalism at the range so all can enjoy. There will be a 3D trail set-up to shoot at 9 a.m. to 2 to 3 p.m. Sundays each month, open to one and all for great recreation and practice. Shoot fees are $3 adult with youngsters of all ages free of charge. Call the Wilson’s for directions to the range or answers to questions.
• Yuma Trap and Skeet Club: Anyone interested in trap and skeet can shoot 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, and all Sundays in April, noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Adair Park. Call Bob Avila at 910-0622. Youngsters in school who might be interested in getting together with the scholastic clay target program with The Yuma Young Guns, can call head coach H. McNutt at 580-0918.
• Yuma Territorial Longrifles Club: Open black powder matches at the Adair Park range, 1st and 3rd Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. .22 matches held the 1st Tuesday as well. Call Roger Bickel at 726-7453.
• Cholla Gun Club also offers a full schedule of shooting at the Adair Park metallic silhouette range, all open to the public with instructions available upon need. Call Rick Kelley at (928) 502-0736.
• High Power Rifle and Pistol Club of Yuma: For club information, call Joseph Murek at 627-4556, Paul Lerma at 580-7456 or Gerald Brooker at 349-1311. Visit the club website at hprifleyuma.com.
• Yuma Matchmasters: A variety of matches are offered at the Adair Park small bore range, all open to shooters with 7 a.m. sign-up, shooting at 7:30 a.m. that includes the steel challenge the 1st Saturday, multi-gun matches the 1st Sunday, IPSC combat matches the 2nd Sunday, and the SASS cowboy matches the 4th Sunday. Call Larry Wiles at 920-2157 or Irene Snyder at (920) 613-4598 if you are interested.
• Southwest Bowhunters Archery Club: Archery is offered on Sundays with their practice range also open all week. Call Keith Parsels at 7821097.
Hunt happenings
• Our region IV, Yuma office of Game and Fish will hold a hunter education class room course May 8-13 at the local office. There will also be a class at Sprague’s Sports Shop June 19-22. Sign up at www. azgfd.com. Also, online classes are a self-paced program completely online once the passing score of 80 percent is successful, with stations for line of fire and matching practical hunt and a written exam. Average completion is one hour. Visit www. azgfd.com/education/hunting or contact Pat Headington at yumahuntered@gmail.com.
Contact Jean Wilson at jeanrenegade@ gmail.com or call 247-4450.