02/22/05

When reached for this interview, Lefebre had to chuckle when the following question was posed: "Dave much of the country is at least in the early stages of pre spawn, how do you as an angler know that pre spawn has arrived?"  Lefebre's response to that rather ignorant question was-"It may be February, and there may be some states in the South where the bass are in pre spawn, but I am standing on a frozen lake, with a hole cut in the ice that is three feet in depth, and I am crappie fishing.  How, do I know when pre spawn arrives?  In Pennsylvania, it's when the ice on the lake melts."

Pre Spawn-Defined:

"I think it is first important to define pre spawn, because it comes at a time when many anglers are still searching for bass in their Winter patterns.  By Winter patterns, I refer to bass that are unpredictable, in that they relate heavily to shad or other schools of bait fish, and are generally inactive except for short periods when they feed.  To me, pre spawn is the time that these bass begin to migrate towards spawning grounds, they increase their feeding and they relate heavily to structure, particularly points.  Pre Spawn to me is when bass become much more predictable because they are feeding more and because they are oriented to structure, like points that every angler can identify visually."

"When water temperatures reach the low to mid 50's, most high land lakes will be in pre spawn.  An angler can make this determination in the marina while waiting for his partner to come back from parking the car.  Checking water temperature is crucial this time of year, in fact it might be the most important factor this time of year.  Knowing that the water is in the low to mid 50's would tip me off that I should begin looking for bass on the points."

"One of the best ways that I know to come in contact with pre spawn bass is to first locate likely spawning grounds.  This typically will be in bays or in the backs of coves, where the water is protected from wind.  These areas can warm up, and are not chilled as easily if the wind blows.  I don't expect to find bass in the shallows during pre spawn, but I will start there and work my way back out, checking every point or major piece of structure, like drop offs along my way back out.

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