Forage-First Fishing
Bass Fishing Blog
Seasonal patterns, technique breakdowns, and forage science for anglers who want to understand the why behind the bite.
20 articles in Seasonal
SeasonalMay 7, 2026
Bass Fishing After Heavy Rain: Runoff, Mud Lines, and Fresh Current
Rain can create tough water or feeding opportunities. Learn how to fish runoff, mud lines, inflows, and newly flooded cover.
SeasonalMay 7, 2026
Fall Bass Fishing with Shad: Follow the Bait, Not the Bank
Fall bass often move with shad. Learn how to find bait, choose the right lure size, and avoid empty-looking water.
SeasonalMay 7, 2026
How to Catch Bass Around Bluegill Beds
Bluegill beds can attract quality bass after the spawn. Learn how to find them, fish them respectfully, and choose the right lures.
SeasonalMay 7, 2026
Late Spring Bass Fishing: How to Match Shad, Bluegill, and Crawfish
Late spring bass can feed on shad, bluegill, or crawfish in the same day. Learn how to read the clues and pick the right lure.
SeasonalMay 7, 2026
Night Bass Fishing in Summer: Safer, Simpler, and More Effective
Summer night fishing can produce big bass when daytime heat slows the bite. Learn where to fish and which lures to trust.
SeasonalMay 7, 2026
Postspawn Bass Fishing: A Simple Recovery-Bite Game Plan
Postspawn bass can feel scattered, but they are predictable when you focus on shade, bluegill, shad, and nearby recovery areas.
SeasonalMay 7, 2026
Winter Bass Fishing: Natural Presentations for Cold Clear Water
Winter bass still feed, but they rarely chase far. Learn where to fish and how to use subtle shad and craw presentations.
SeasonalMay 1, 2026
Early Summer Shad Patterns: Following the Baitfish Push
As water warms into the 70s, shad schools drive bass behavior more than any other factor. Here's how to follow baitfish and build a consistent early-summer pattern.
SeasonalApr 7, 2026
Summer Bass Pattern Preview: What to Expect as Water Warms
Summer bass patterns emerge as water temperatures climb above 72°F. Here's what changes, where fish go, and which techniques carry from late spring into the heart of summer.
SeasonalMar 17, 2026
Late Spring Topwater Fishing: The Best Baits and When to Throw Them
Late spring is the best topwater window of the year. Here's which baits work, when to throw them, and how to locate the most productive feeding situations.
SeasonalMar 13, 2026
Post-Spawn Bass Recovery: Where They Go and How to Catch Them
Post-spawn bass are the most scattered and unpredictable fish of the year. Here's a realistic breakdown of what happens after the spawn and how to find fish during the recovery phase.
SeasonalFeb 27, 2026
Understanding the Bass Spawn: Phases, Locations, and Strategy
The spawn is the most debated fishing period of the year. Here's a clear breakdown of what actually happens, where bass go, and how anglers approach each phase.
SeasonalFeb 3, 2026
The Pre-Spawn Timeline: When It Starts and What to Expect
Understanding when pre-spawn begins in your region — and what drives the timing — lets you be fishing the right pattern before most anglers even start looking.
SeasonalJan 2, 2026
January Bass Patterns: Where They Go and How to Catch Them
January is the toughest month for bass fishing, but fish are still catchable if you understand where they are and how slowly to present to them.
SeasonalDec 30, 2025
Winter Smallmouth Tactics: Cold-Water Techniques That Work
Smallmouth bass are more active in cold water than largemouth, but they require specific presentations. Here's how to target them through the winter.
SeasonalDec 2, 2025
Winter Jerkbait Fishing: How to Trigger Cold-Water Bass
Suspending jerkbaits are one of the most reliable cold-water bass producers. Here's how to fish them when the water drops below 50°F.
SeasonalNov 27, 2025
The Complete Seasonal Forage Guide for Bass Fishing
A full-year breakdown of what bass eat from prespawn through winter — and how to match every phase with the right lure.
SeasonalNov 20, 2025
Fall Shad Patterns for Reservoir Bass: The Complete Guide
When shad push shallow in fall, bass feed aggressively. Here's how to find the shad, read the conditions, and pick the right lure to get bit.
SeasonalNov 6, 2025
Spring Crawfish Patterns: How to Catch Prespawn Bass on Rock
Craw patterns are the dominant spring technique on rocky bodies of water. Learn where to find prespawn bass keyed on crawfish and which lures to use.
SeasonalOct 2, 2025
Fall Reservoir Deep Guide: When Shad Are Still Offshore
Early fall on reservoirs can be a transition period where shad haven't pushed shallow yet. Here's how to find and catch the deep fish before they migrate.