Easing up to a point where the lake narrowed I pitched out a shaky head worm but it didn’t get far as the line twitched and started moving off slowly to the right. Bam! I reared back and drove the steel home, deep into the jaws of a tiger bass. The enraged sow bass exploded through the water and shook violently as she wallowed on the surface for a few seconds before diving down and heading for parts unknown. It was touch and go for a few minutes but I finally wore the bass down and landed her.

My next cast landed precisely where the first had been and a couple shakes later I felt the tick of a bass inhaling the Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series trick worm. I set the hook once again and promptly caught another bass. Actually, I cast to the spot about ten times and got 8 strikes catching 6 and missing a couple when the hook bent out slightly.

Such is life on Triple D Ranch during the February and March pre-spawn. During this time of year the bass are in shallow water and looking for a place to spawn. Some of them will relate to points, and shallow drops as they feed up and get ready to spawn. When’s the best time to catch a monster bass? Right now, if you have the time and patience to get out there and cast your lure a few times.

Don’t have a boat? That’s not a problem at Triple D ranch this time of year. Like many country boys who grew up fishing for bass in farm ponds on the banks, I enjoy that as well. In fact, if you fish from the bank you can cover a lot of water fast and don’t have to worry about handling the boat or churning up the bottom.

I spent the day watching eagles, hawks, ducks and all manner of birds and even fished a little from the bank. The day was cold and brisk to say the least but I couldn’t help myself and had to make a few casts from the bank. While doing that I found several spots where the bass were ganged up.

I also caught picked a few bass off of stumps and logs along the banks with a Stik-O. I’d simply cast the worm by the log and let it glide down like a wounded shad and they usually hit it on the fall. It was like money in the bank on almost every piece of structure.

Last year I made a similar trip with my wife to Triple D for some rest and relaxation and a bit of fishing on the side. I caught several lunkers on Bass Pro Shops Stik-Os, Lazer Eye spinnerbaits and shaky head worms tipped with the tournament series worms.

Early in the morning the bass were lethargic and hit the Stik-Os and shaky heads best but when the wind got up later in the day the shad got pushed up near the banks and 3 to 5-pound bass started feeding on them. I started picking them off the edges with my Lazer Eye spinnerbait with a double Colorado blade that kept the lure vibrating and pulsating at a slow pace, just enough to entice the hungry bass into biting.

If you are waiting for warmer weather then you are missing out on some fine fishing, some of the best fishing of the year. But don’t take my word for it. Call Mrs. Vicki at Triple D Ranch 205-652-7407 and check out their bass fishing for yourself. You’ll be glad you did. I guarantee you’ll have a chance at catching big bass and lots of bass.