By Jonathan LePera
Special to BassFan
Still riding the high of a runner-up finish at the Lake Havasu Bassmaster Elite Series, Clifford Pirch had his post-spawn pattern dialed in.
“I was fishing for fish that were heading out to deeper water,” he said.
According to Pirch, immediately after the spawn, largemouth will guard fry for a bit and are somewhat catchable. When they’re done, they’ll head out to deeper cover to feed up where food is available to regain the body mass that they lost during spawning.
“If you’re on the Tennessee River, you have those ledges that drop off into the main river and they get out into that stuff where there is more food coming by, baitfish and current,” he said. “That water’s a little deeper and better oxygenated.”
E-Fishing
Pirch stressed the importance of his Lowrance electronics in tracking down post-spawners.
“I’m looking at four different Gen 3 screens depicting DownScan, StructureScan, mapping, and sonar,” Pirch explained. “I can see fish positioned in several ways; where they want to be, where they are going to set up, and how they are relating to specific structure. They’re going to the break nearest to deep cover, and they might feed a bit there, then move off.”
He’ll look for secondary breaks, creek channels, and follow either down to a main channel.
“Find where they’re at along that zone,” he added. “You’ll have different waves of fish spawning, so you want to work those stopping points along the way out and see where that zone is best.
“Using my electronics, I can see any of the targets they are going to hang out on. I can see structure turning white because of shells or big artificial structures like stumps, and my units will actually show fish shadows. I’m trying to build a three-dimensional picture of what I’m dealing with out there.”
Keep It Simple
Pirch’s has a pretty narrow focus when it comes to tackle during the post-spawn phase – a dropshot and a crankbait.
“A deep crankbait is going to be a good way to cover water, locate them, and fire them up with a fast retrieve and snapping and jerking the bait,” he said.
He likes a softer but lengthy Phenix cranking stick or a rod that has some give so that he is able to maintain contact with the fish as it surges to the surface on the hook-set and an reel sporting a 6:4:1 gearing.
“Being able to launch baits a long distance as far as you can get and getting it down as fast as you can and keeping it down there is the deal,” he added.
He’ll use his electronics to pick off fish with his dropshot rig. In clear water, he’ll opt for natural colored 4 1/2-inch Roboworm straight tail worms while dirtier water calls for 6-inch versions in colors what will stand out.
Fishing his homemade football, casting, and flipping jigs, Pirch lets cover dictate his head design. Fish on the California Delta and Mississippi Rivers sometimes relate to grass lines or laydowns in deeper water – he’ll flip for those fish.
Early in the season, he’ll drag his football jigs more yet hop them to cause a ruckus as the season progresses.
“Post spawn means I’ll fish a football jig fast looking to be in contact with the bottom including shells, rocks, gravel whatever is going to make some commotion,” he said.
Geared Up
> Pirch’s crankbait gear: 7’1” medium-action Phenix Recon2 casting rods, Ardent Apex Elite casting reel (6.5:1 gear ratio), 12- to 15-pound Seaguar InvizX fluorocarbon line.
> Pirch’s dropshot gear: 7’2” medium-action Phenix M1 spinning rod, Ardent Bolt spinning reel, 8-pound Seaguar InvizX fluorocarbon line, 1/0 Roboworm Rebarb hook (4.5” Roboworm straight tail worm), 2/0 hook (6” worm).
> Pirch’s jig gear: 7’7” heavy-action Phenix casting rod, same as crankbait reel (high-speed version), 17- to 20-pound Seaguar InvizX fluorocarbon line, 3/4-oz. football jig (bluegill patterns).
