FINALLY—it’s April! This is one of my favorite months of the year to fish. No matter where you live, from the Canadian border all the way down to the Mexican border, bass fishing is flat-out on fire. Up north, you’ve got fish in that late pre-spawn moving toward beds, and some are just starting to spawn. Down south, it’s even crazier because you’ve got fish in all three phases: pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn. That means opportunity everywhere! And you know how we do it, I’m giving you two baits for the north, two for the south. Let’s get into it!
Northern Bait #1-Swim Jig
For my northern anglers, bait number one in April is a swim jig. and one of my favorites is the Missile Baits Mini Swim Jig. This bait shines when water temps hit that mid to upper 50s and fish are transitioning into full pre-spawn feed mode. I’m putting down the jerkbaits and lipless cranks and picking up a swim jig. I want one with an inline line tie so it comes through cover clean and tracks right. I keep it simple:
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Missile Mini Swim Jig Colors:
- White (shad/baitfish)
- Green pumpkin / bluegill patterns
- Black & blue (dirty water or crawfish bite)
- Trailers:
- Boot tail swimbait in cooler water
- Craw-style trailer as temps approach 60
I’m targeting staging areas, the last stops before spawning flats. Think of docks, laydowns, emerging grass, and pad stems. The beauty of a swim jig is you can throw it anywhere and cover water fast.
Northern Bait #2-Medium Bait Glide Bait or Boot Tail Swimbait
Bait number two up north is all about targeting those big females, and that’s where mid-size swimbaits come in. I’m talking about baits like the Berkley PowerBait line, especially the glide-style Berkley PowerBait Chop Block Soft Glide Bait and a boot tail option like the Berkley PowerBait CullShad Swimbait. These are in that 5–6 inch range, and April is the window where they shine. These fish know they’re about to spawn, and they want a bigger meal. Here’s how I break it down:
- When to use each:
- Glide bait → around isolated cover, slow and methodical
- Boot tail → steady retrieve, covering water
- Key colors:
- Shad patterns for baitfish lakes
- Bluegill/perch tones for shallow cover areas
Focus on transition spots; the last dock, the last tree, the last piece of cover before a spawning pocket. Those big girls are staging there, and they’re ready to crush a bigger bait.
Southern Bait #1-Soft Stick Bait
Now let’s head south. For my southern anglers, bait number three is hands down a soft stick bait like a Berkley Powerbait The General Worm. With fish in all phases of the spawn, there’s no more versatile bait in April. Pre-spawn fish eat it, spawning fish react to it, and post-spawn fish guarding fry will crush it. I lean on 5″ and 6″ sizes and rotate between a few key setups:
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Berkley Powerbait The General Worm Top rigging styles:
- Weightless wacky rig (my go-to)
- Neko rig (for a little more control)
- Texas rig (for pitching into cover)
Keep it simple and fish it around beds, shallow cover, and spawning flats. If you put it in the right place, it’s almost automatic. This bait just flat-out gets bites when nothing else will.
Southern Bait #2-Spinnerbait
Last but not least, bait number four is tied to one of the coolest things happening in April down south, the baitfish spawn. As bass finish spawning, shad, herring, and other baitfish move up to spawn, and that creates a feeding frenzy. And for me, nothing mimics that better than a spinnerbait. It’s like a mini school of bait in one lure. I love the Molix Muscle Ant Double Willow Spinnerbait setup with white or shad colors and silver blades. A few quick tips:
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Double Willow Spinnerbait Where to throw it:
- Docks (especially black floats)
- Riprap and seawalls
- Grass lines and shallow cover
- Points on herring lakes
- Extras:
- Add a trailer hook—key for short strikes
When that bait spawn starts, those bass can’t help themselves. It’s one of the most fun bites of the year.
April is loaded with opportunity! Up north, lean on that swim jig and mid-size swimbaits for staging pre-spawn fish. Down south, a soft stick bait covers all spawn phases, and a spinnerbait dominates the baitfish spawn. Get out there, fish hard, and take advantage of one of the best months of the year. _________________________________________________________________________
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