To catch those bass of your dreams, you don’t just need to choose the right lure and the right and proper speed of retrieval. Water temperature, especially in spring water season, means both lure choice and retrieval speed. Especially in the spring water season, successful bass fishing is a mix and result of all the components of a bass angler’s repertoire.

It can be more than said and emphasized that the key to successful early spring bass fishing is a warming trend in which the water temperature typically rises only 4 or 5 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s like just a slight change like this 4 or 5 degrees in water temperature is more than enough for the bass to become more active and start moving into that shallow water and deeper and shallower. Of course, the actual temperature is relative to whatever region of the country or even countries you are fishing in. Obviously, if you are in Illinois or Michigan, warmer water will be the norm compared to an area like northern Manitoba, Canada, where of course the average water temperature will be cooler.

The two factors that commonly cause the water temperature to rise in the spring are, of course, the sunlight with its warmth and, surprisingly, the rain. Of the two rains affects the bass and bass fishing much faster and promptly. Even February rains in the southernmost states of the US are several degrees warmer than lake water. Therefore, you may want to fish in places and areas where runoff flows, such as smaller tributary streams and even ditches. It can be said that larger tributaries and rivers can become too muddy if they are dumping a lot of new water into their system.

Bass will tend to move to these smaller runoff areas even within hours. You may even see bass chasing minnows and small bait fish. Everything happens so fast. It’s all about the temperature of the water. Small crankbaits and spinnerbaits caught near the surface of the water are most effective as warmer water will stay on top of cooler water. Of course, the heat rises.

Unfortunately, however, this runoff activity rarely lasts more than two or three days because as the water disperses, it gradually cools. The sea bass will slow down accordingly. However, this may be a good time to move on to the larger tributaries. On larger tributaries, try the same techniques used above, once the waters have cleared.

Beware that several days of warm sun in early spring can trigger these same rapid changes in bass activity. All it takes is just a four or five degree change in water temperature. The best heating trends are those where the nighttime air temperature does not drop below the water temperature, which means a full 24 hours of continuous heating. It appears that after only 2 or 3 days of such conditions, the bass will begin to move into the smaller creeks, bays, and coves and pockets. Usually this is on the northern coasts as they receive the most sunlight overall. Lastly, remember that slightly “stained” or “dirty” water will heat up faster than clearer water.

Remember that in the end it’s all about catching those bass fish.