Pre Spawn-David Lefebre

David Lefebre qualified for both the 2003 Bassmaster Classic as well as the FLW Tour Championship.  When ProBassAnglers.com asked him about pre spawn he made it quite simple:  "Almost everyone of our tour stops last year centered around pre spawn.  At each lake or river system that we fished, my practice fishing centered around locating spawning grounds, usually flats, and working out towards deeper water via creek channels and points, eventually I would come upon groups of fish that were preparing to move in."

Lefebre defines pre spawn as that period of time where bass activity centers around getting ready for the spawn.  "The spawning cycle just there only focus during pre spawn, so in a sense, they are spawning, maybe not on a nest, but if they are on secondary points, for example, they are there because they are anticipating a move into the shallows.  Compare that with say, Wintering bass.  Bass that are still on Winter patterns or even Fall patterns are relating to schools of bait fish.  Where the bait fish go, so will the bass.  I feel that pre spawn, spawn or post spawn, it is still centered around the process of spawning."

That being said, how then is a pre spawn bass different from a Wintering bass?  "From an angler perspective, I think a pre spawn bass is not keyed in on food," notes Lefebre.  "I believe that pre spawn bass are more territorial and are more likely to strike a lure out of a reaction to the lure invading their space.  Pre spawners may still be eating, but I don't think food is the most important thing to them."

As far as his favorite way to attack the pre spawn, Lefebre prefers a lipless crank bait.  "Luhr-Jenson makes a lipless crank bait called a Sugar Shad.  I like the Sugar Shad because the rattle is different, I kind of feel that bass might get conditioned to the metallic rattles.  The Sugar Shad just has a different rattle to it.  I also like it because it sinks slow and I can control the bait a little better."  Covering water is what its all about in pre spawn, according to Lefebre.

Asked if there was anything else to be said about pre spawn, Lefebre responded, "I believe there are two types of pre spawn fish, the first type tends to group up on points or staging areas.  When you contact the spot where a group of fish is staging, the action can be non-stop.  The second kind of pre spawn fish are those that might hold on an isolated piece of cover.  If its a good piece of cover, that means that the bigger fish will get it and chances are, if you catch a good fish off of an isolated spot, another good one will move up and take the spot, its like prime real estate."