Largemouth Bass Habitat
General
- Prefers clear, nonflowing waters with aquatic vegetation where food and cover are available. They prefer freshwater but are very diverse and can be found in brackish and muddy waters, including upper estuaries, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and ponds. Also, they can tolerate a wide range of water clarities and bottom types, prefer water temperatures from 62 to 83 degrees, and are usually found at depths less than 20 feet.
Early Spring thru Spawn
- Shallow Mud bottomed channels that receive the spring sunshine.
- Protected Coves, Coves that are on the same side as the prevailing winds for the season.
- Back ends of brushy shallow creek arms and coves.
- Vegetation beds, Hydilia and Grass.
- Males move in early to prepare beds.
- Females will start staging when water temperature is 55-58.
- Spawn is in full swing when water temperature is 59-63
Late Spring and Summer
- Weed lines
- Rocky points and shore that drop off to deeper water
- Main lake points next to river channels.
- Intersections and bends in river channels.
- Deep channels.
- Humps with rock, standing timber, other structure that will hold bait fish, crawdads, etc.
- Flats, coves with timber, trees, stumps.
- Rip Rap
- Submerged vegetation
Mid Summer
- Heavy cover
- Dense vegetation
- Canopy shaded coves, either shaded by cliffs, steep banks and or trees.
- Deep water
Early Fall
- Coves and creek channels.
- Back of creek arms and coves.
- Shallower water as the water temperature starts to fall back into the comfort zone.
- Be on the lookout at your lake for the “Perfect Temp”, it depends on the predominant bait fish in the lake on what that temperature is. There is a magic temperature that they will feed in frenzy just before going deep for the winter.
Late Fall and Winter
- Main lake points that fall rapidly to deep water
- Points and structure that fall rapidly to deep water
- Steep cliff banks
- Deep river channels, on the bend, the steeper the bend the better