Bait: 5-inch Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General.
Rig it: Wacky style, with 5/0 Berkley Fusion19 Flipping Hook, and 1/8-ounce weight.
Fish it: In clearer water, fan cast to suspected areas of spawning bass, like openings in vegetation, around rocks on hard bottom.
Pro tip: “It allows you to cover a lot of water,” Shryock said. “It’s a high-percentage bait that lets you close the gaps between spawning beds.”
Rig it: Texas style, with a 4/0 Berkley Fusion19 Heavy Cover Hook, with a 3/16- to 5/16-ounce sinker.
Fish it: In dirtier water, cast into the same suspected spawning areas. The bulkier profile also displaces more water when a bigger bait is needed for added strike appeal in dirty water.
Pro tip: “The lighter weight is a must, because it allows the rig to drift over a bed, instead of foul up with grass or mud and create an unnatural appearance,” Shryock said.
Bait: Rapala BX Brat 06
Fish it: The bait is ideal when bass spawn around wood or rock.
Pro tip: “The deflection of the bait off the cover triggers strikes from spawning or bedding bass you cannot see,” Palaniuk said. “They can’t resist it.”
Rig it: Texas style, with 4/0 VMC Ike Approved Heavy Duty Wide Gap Hook, with 1/4-ounce tungsten weight.
Fish it: Cast into suspected bedding areas, and work slowly back to the boat.
Pro tip: “The floating claws attract attention when the bait can get covered up by silt in the bed,” Palaniuk said.
Bait: V&M Wild Thang Series, Flat Wild
Rig it: 4/0 flipping hook, 1/4-ounce weight.
Fish it: Cast it into marked beds that have disappeared due to water clarity. It might take several attempts to strike the target.
Pro tip: “I use my index finger to to make the line twitch, adding more strike appeal,” Gleason said.
Rig it: 1/0 hook, 1/4-ounce weight.
Fish it: Cast into marked beds that have disappeared from low water clarity. Dead stick the bait, not moving it and allowing natural action to trigger the bite.
Pro Tip: “I drag this bait into the bed and when it gets inside of it, I can feel less resistance, which tells me it’s in that open area of the bed,” Gleason said.
Bait: Molix Supernato Frog
Fish it: Like you would a weedless topwater prop bait. Except, it can be skipped or cast under docks, through limbs and other places the treble-hook models get hung up.
Pro tip; “The legs act like the props on the topwater bait,” Jocumsen said. “This bait makes the fish show themselves. You know the location of the bed, and it will also catch them.
Rig it: 4/0 Owner Offset Round Bend Hook, 1/4-ounce weight.
Fish it: Cast it into the bed, or the area where the frog revealed bass. Also use as a follow-up bait for missed strikes.
Pro tip: “The claws float and are super intimidating to a bedding female,” Jocumsen said.
Bait: Molix Pop Frog Rattlin’
Fish it: For bass in all spawning phases.
Pro tip: “I cast into areas where I’ve marked beds on my graph, and the action trigger reaction strikes,” Douglas said. “I can also cover more water with this bait.”
Rig it: Texas style, 4/0 Owner Cover Shot Heavy Duty Hook.
Fish it: Cast into marked beds, or areas of suspected beds in grass openings.