If you’ve been following this blog series, you already know how I like to break things down. Every month, I give you two baits for anglers in the Northern part of the country and two for anglers in the Southern part. May is no different, but before we get into the baits, let’s talk about the month itself.
May is all about transition. Up north, it’s spring turning into the spawn. You’ve got fish coming in, fish on beds, and even some fish guarding fry. But down south, it’s a totally different deal. Those fish are mostly done spawning and moving into a post-spawn feeding mode. And the key thing down south in May? The bait spawn; shad, herring, and bluegill all spawning at once. That means bass are feeding hard!
Now let’s get into it. Here are my top four baits for the month of May.
Northern Anglers (Virginia and North)
Bait #1: Small Swimbaits
For my anglers up north, bait number one in May is a small swimbait, six inches or less. I’m talking about baits like the Berkley PowerBait Chop Block or the Berkley Cull Shad in that five- to six-inch range.
This is a two-for-one bait in May:
- It catches aggressive pre-spawn fish that are feeding
- It helps you locate fish you can’t see
Think about this,if a fish is on a bed that’s a little deeper or just out of sight, they’ll come up and swipe at that swimbait. Same thing with fry guarders. Even if they don’t eat it, they show themselves, and now you know exactly where they are.
Keep your colors simple:
- Around bluegill → green pumpkin, natural tones
- Around shad → white, pearl, silver
This is your search bait. It helps you cover water and find fish fast.
Bait #2: Soft Stick Baits
Bait number two for my northern anglers is a soft stick bait, like the Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General Worm in a four- to five-inch size.
This is your follow-up bait:
- A fish rolls on your swimbait but doesn’t commit
- You throw this right back to the same spot
I like to fish it:
- Wacky rigged for a slow, natural fall
- Light Texas rig when you’re around heavier cover
Target key areas like:
- Isolated cover (one stick, one dock, one patch of grass)
- Bedding fish
- Fry guarders
There’s just something about that slow fall during the spawn. Bass can’t stand it. This bait turns those lookers into biters.
Southern Anglers (Virginia South)
Bait #1: Swim Jigs
For my anglers down south, bait number three is a swim jig, and I love something compact like the Missile Baits Mini Swim Jig.
May down south is all about the bait spawn, and this bait lets you match it perfectly.
Think about the forage:
- Shad or herring → white and silver
- Bluegill → green pumpkin, chartreuse, orange
Adjust your setup based on conditions:
- 3/16 oz → shallow water, thick cover, keep it high
- 5/16 oz → deeper water, less cover
Trailer choice matters too:
- Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Stank Bug → subtle, deeper presentation
- Berkley PowerBait Shape 108 Craw → more lift, keeps bait higher
This is a great search bait down south, just like the swimbait is up north. It lets you cover water and match what bass are feeding on.
Bait #2: Topwater (Walking & Popping Baits)
Bait number four—and this is where it gets fun—is topwater. May is one of the best months of the year for topwater fishing down south.
Start by matching the baitfish:
- Shad or herring → walking bait like the Berkley J-Walker
- Bluegill → popper like the Berkley Bullet Pop
Then match the cover:
- Open water / sparse cover → treble hook walking bait or popper
- Heavy cover (grass, pads, timber) → Molix Pop Frog
Here’s the key adjustment—when bluegill are spawning:
- Look for beds (little craters on the bottom)
- Fish your bait slow over those areas
- Let it sit and work it in place
Bass are targeting those bluegill, and they cannot stand something popping over the top. That’s when you get those explosive, heart-stopping strikes.
May is an awesome month because fish are doing so many different things. Up north, they’re moving into and through the spawn. Down south, they’re feeding up and heading toward summer patterns.
If you match your bait to what the fish are doing, you can have some of the best fishing of the entire year.
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