I have a tournament coming up this weekend on a Reservoir where the fish were going up to spawn, but bad rains pushed them back. This was 10 weeks ago, and we haven't had the best weather since then either. The day of the tournament will be a cold front, rainy and 61 degrees as the high. I believe if the fish still haven't moved up that they are on the closest drop possible to the spawning flat, but what do you guys recomend throwing? What have you had success with?

Thank you

Matt Strykul

id saY for pre-spawn bass your best lure selections will be carolina rigs, jigs, hard jerkbaits-fished slow, and you may even want to try and fineese them with some drop shotting since they have alreaddy prep themselve for spawn and gorged themselve they may either do it again or theY could be lock jawwed so finnese coUld be your key for succes o ya and dont forget the all mighty SHAKKY HEAD ITS A KILLER WHEN BASS WONT BITE

Let your water temps dictate most of your plan but run to the backs of some pockets to see for yourself as to whether or not they've moved up.  I'd bet bucks have started as you are not that far from here (about 5 hours by car due North) and ours is well into the spawn and post spawn stages.

If they are not there; jerk baits, jigs, and worms worked slow.  If the bucks are on the beds ad spinner baits to that list and work the first cover nearest the beds to look for some females.

There is some warmer water wherever you are fishing, find it and start by looking visually for beds.  If you don't see any start working your way back out toward the main lake until you run in to them.  They should be staging if they are not already there.

Good luck.

The bucks are definetly up shallow, last tournament thats all we could catch.

Thank you guys for your time and advice

Matt Strykul