Resident and Transitional Bass, Do You Kow The Difference?

Some of you may have come across the terms resident and transitional, but do you know what they mean in fishing? Let’s take a look at what they mean.

It would be easy for the prespawn to sneak up on some of us with hunting season and football winding down, as well as all the chaos of the last year. While fishermen down in Florida are eyeing girls on the beach already, anglers to the north are probably reading as it’s getting close to go time in the Bible Belt, and it’ll be here before we know it.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be focusing on areas of deep water nearby shallow ones. This is where there are banks that transition sharply at a 45-degree angle and an abundance of fish will be funneling into creeks and coves to make their way towards spawning flats. These tend to be fish that have come out of deeper waters for winter. Nonetheless, there are also fish that remain shallow throughout the year in several fisheries – so we’ll go over those indicators as they tend to begin nesting early.

We’ll also help you identify which category the fish you’ll be targeting belong to, though it’s not an exact science. For example, a highland reservoir experiences seasonal fluctuations in the shallow water population- with many fish moving out during winter and summer, and back for spring and fall. However there are some areas of the reservoir like muddy creeks that maintain a shallow water fish population all year round. This is something to keep in mind when determining where to focus your efforts when fishing in the pre-spawn period.

Because it is difficult to group prespawn by fishery, it seems best to look at the two categories of bass instead: resident and transitional. And then we can narrow down how to target those fish on your local fishery.

RESIDENT BASS

This is my preferred bass fishing method from prespawn through the rest of the year.

There is something special about fishing for resident fish during the prespawn, because these are the first fish to really get the urge to spawn, and the water temperatures will change faster at a depth of two feet than at a depth of 20 feet. So as the spring approaches, the first few warm days sandwiched between a couple nights in the 60s will be enough to push these big girls right to where they will be spawning, making them super aggressive, feeding, and full of eggs.

Discovering resident populations of fish requires a journey to creeks, rivers and flats. These locales are ideal for these species as the lengthy trek to deeper water serves as a barrier. To maximize success and increase your chances of catching one of these creatures, you should look for areas with a plentiful food supply, fresh sources of moving water and plenty of cover used by the fish to ambush prey and find shady spots during the hot months.

Down in south Alabama, lakes like Eufaula have stretches of flats where the depth doesn’t change more than a foot for 500 yards. There are likely to be stretches down on Lake Okeechobee in south Florida that change depth less than a foot every quarter mile for a quarter mile. If fish have a food source and cover readily available where they are, it’s not worth or practical for them to travel these long distances to find deeper water.

Bass are creatures of habit, and these are literal life and death decisions for them. I know it seems outlandish to think that they could rationalize this deeply, but I don’t think they do; it’s primarily instinct. And I think that the proof is in the pudding, since there are schools of fish that stay shallow all year. It doesn’t matter how they figure it out, schools of fish eventually form a collective mind-set and stay shallow in such areas.

Once you’ve located resident pre-spawn fish, targeting them is relatively straightforward. Depending on the type of cover present, spinnerbaits, squarebills, vibrating jigs and lipless cranks are all wonderfully effective. Additionally, a buzzbait can be an excellent option on days where temperatures are rising. Also consider employing flipping or skipping jigs around docks and wood for favourable results. Ultimately, you’ll find that the ‘bread and butter’ basics always apply; these fish will keep close to cover and tend to respond well to heavier presentations. With that said, in cases of high pressure or clear water – lighter tricks such as Neko rigging or wacky rigs may just do the trick!

TRANSITIONAL BASS

Fish that are on the move can more easily be caught if one remains stationary. Rather than following a school of fish around with something like a spybait, it’s best to find a large piece of hard cover like a bridge, 45-degree bank or channel swing and wait for them to come by as they enter spawning areas. Doing this will guarantee multiple catches in the same area over a period of weeks or months as they make their way in and out of the spawn.

The key is finding deep water near shallow water. Fish are able to set up, feed, and then push shallow to spawn as soon as they feel the urge. I frequent lakes like this here in Alabama where you want to pay attention to these fish the most. But the most textbook bite I ever got on like this came on Kentucky Lake in the 2011 FLW College Fishing National Championship.

It’s time for a name drop.

Jordan Lee and Shaye Baker were fishing for Auburn University and stumbled upon several banks that fit the bill. One of them had a creek channel running close to the shoreline, which held the majority of the fish they eventually weighed in with, 3rd place. This is the same bank featured in this image, showing what to look out for.

In the picture, we can see that they were close to the bank, casting out baits along parallel with it. The most successful approach was to make multiple runs from different perspectives. The prime spot thy hit spanned a hundred yards and further reaches of fifty yards on either side still yielded bites. On one pass, they threw lines perpendicular to the bank whereas in another pass they casted straight down the bank. Then in the last pass, they threw out into deeper water and reeled the baits up slowly – all techniques equally resulted in bites!

When fishing for prespawn bass in these places, jerkbaits, swimbaits and umbrella rigs can be a great option. These lures tend to be effective when the fish are suspended in the water column. The depth that they choose will often depend on water clarity and current – when there is clearer water with little flow, they may be suspended; however, if there is higher current and more discoloration, they will likely seek cover near the bottom or around laydowns and rocks close to shore.