Bass normally have their heads down looking for crabs and any potential food on the sea bead but on a hot sunny April day they may be tempted to look up if a small to medium surface lure crosses their path both day and night especially if the water is clear.
Normally we would use small surface lures in and around estuaries or entrances to large rivers but they can be used all over as bass will hit surface lures if it gets warmer. Surface lure fishing is a great way of fishing visually and can be so much fun if you’re out with your mates. The larger bass may be further upstream as they spawn this time of the year.
Fishing surface lures this time of year is an art. You will have to be more subtle, rather than the fast motions of working a surface lure in the summer. It’s more of a pop, pause, pop action. You will need to be patient and cautious early in the season and pausing now and again might be the best action rather than reeling in 100 miles an hour. In fact when you cast your surface lure leave it floating for a few moments before you start winding. We have had bass smash lures before we even reel before in April. Also if you get a swish then pause again to bring the fish onto the lure.
You can even "pop and drag" the lure along the surface to tempt a bass especially at night. Pausing for 10 secs after the drag before starting that motion once again can also work well. Patience is a virtue my father tells me and this is certainly the time to be patient. If you do get a take you will feel your rod tug over which is a lovely feeling at the start of the fishing season.
We have gone out in April on our local river mark entrance and bass have literally snaffled our surface lures on our first cast pausing for 10 secs....1,2,3,4 Bang!!!
April can produce some real big fish due to the migration patterns so ensure your knots are tied we'll and your drag is nice and loose.
Below are our small surface lures that might work for you in April.
Small Topwater Surface Lures (90mm 16g)
Small Topwater Surface lures (105mm 11g)
Small Popping Surface Lure (105mm 16g)
Small Surface Topwater Bass Lure 95mm 17g
Small 3D Prism Surface Popper Topwater Bass Lure 105mm 23g
Small Surface 3D Inshore Prism Pencil Bass Lures 100mm 17g
Seadra Spitta 125 V2 Bass Lure
