Late February through early April is the most productive window of the entire year on Bull Shoals. The biggest fish in the lake — those eight, nine, ten-pound females — are slowly working from deep winter haunts toward the secondary points and pockets where they'll spawn. They eat. A lot.
Yes, it looks ridiculous. Yes, you'll snag bottom. Throw it anyway. From mid-February through the first warm front in March, an A-rig fished slow over 18-25 feet of water on long tapering points is the single most reliable way to catch a giant on this lake. Shimano 7'6" heavy, 65-lb braid, no leader. If you're not comfortable with one, I keep two pre-rigged on the boat.
Pre-spawn shad are still grouped tightly, and the bass are keying on the schools. The rig imitates the school, not the individual fish. The biggest females in the lake are the ones bold enough to commit to it.
I run a Megabass Vision 110 in GG Megabass Kinkuro almost exclusively when the water is between 48 and 56 degrees. Jerk-jerk-pause, with the pause getting longer as the water warms. Cast across rocky points and let it suspend dead in the water for up to ten seconds.
"The single biggest mistake guests make on jerkbaits is moving the rod the second they feel weight. Pause. Set when it goes slack."
Once water hits 55 and the fish move shallower, a football jig dragged across pea-gravel transitions and chunk rock is hard to beat. Trail it with a Zoom Speed Craw in matching color. I fish it on 17-lb fluoro, 7'2" medium-heavy, slow and methodical.
If you're booking a trip in the pre-spawn window, dress warmer than you think. Even on a sunny 60-degree afternoon, sitting still on the front of the boat will drop your core temperature fast. Layers, a windproof shell, and a knit cap. I'll bring the thermos.
Mornings fill up fast in spring and fall. Lock in your date — we'll handle the rest, from rods to lures to the fish-cleaning at the dock.
