Beat the Bank Now

Whether you’re targeting largemouth or spotted bass, there’s probably not a better time of year to beat the bank on Lake Martin than now. By April, surface water temperatures are generally near 70-75 degrees. This is a comfortable temperature for the bass in the shallows, and the threat of hard cold fronts that could cause temperatures to plummet is mostly gone.

There’s still a chance of some heavy fronts passing. We’ve seen some volatile weather in the past during April, but it’s more in the form of rain and wind with only mild fluctuations in temperature. Over time, the fish have adapted to this mid-spring pattern and seem to know that, for the most part, they are safe in the shallows whether they are still defending nests, actively spawning or feeding up to recover in the post-spawn phase.