Gary Klein has found a way to take advantage of the shad spawn for post-spawn bass in very shallow water. He’s done it two days in a row now, as BASSTrakk shows him with a 16-pound limit already today. He weighed 16-1 yesterday, which put him in 15th place. Klein knows this pattern has a brief window, and he’s beat the deadline again.
“My bite is done at nine o’clock,” Klein said. “I can put that rod in the rod locker and go do something else. I won’t get another bite. That’s typical post-spawn with a shad bite.”
Klein is targeting post-spawn bass that are cruising the shallows to feed early before making their way out to the main river channel.
“I’m catching ’em real, real shallow,” he said. “It’s the technique I’m using. They are reacting as soon as the bait hits the water. I’m not having to work it at all. It’s really important that I make a key bait placement. You don’t just drop the trolling motor and go down the bank. I’m looking for a certain little deal.
“The thing is, I can’t just sit. They are cruising. They’re coming off a big spawning flat. You can’t sit and throw it to one spot. I’ve got to go around and around and around and around.
“It’s going to be a battle for me. If I could catch another 15 pounds (Friday), I’d feel good.”
Gary Klein, obviously, is feeling good today.