Springtime Lily Pads for Big Bass

Looking for some advice on catching spring bass in southern waters? Well, John Garrett has you covered.

Technically, the bass are the ones that are covered, but same difference. That’s because Garrett’s going to point you to pads just about every time.

One of his top-2 southern habitat faves—hydrilla being the other—pads are bass central throughout the spring season. Certainly not the fish’s only option, but when you consider the benefits of prespawn and postspawn staging/feeding, spawning habitat and straight-up sun shading, It’s no mystery why this vegetation has such drawing power.

“Prespawn, spawn, postspawn—all of the above,” Garrett said of the pads’ diverse spring appeal. “I would go so far as to say that a lot of fish winter around the pad stems. You have fish that live shallow all year and you have fish that move in and out.”

The Breakdown

“There’s a few different types of pads, the ones that lay flat (Fragrant Waterlily) and the ones that stand up above the water’s surface (Spatterdock, “cow lily”),” he said. “The appeal of those flat pads is primarily shade — and shade is definitely a huge player, especially in the spring because it’s one of the only (natural habitats) with shade.

“Whether it’s hydrilla, milfoil, or some other type of grass, it’s not topped out and matted out yet. So, vegetation that has shade is really big.”

Of course, bass aren’t the only ones that appreciate shade, so when you pair that cooler, more comfortable environment with lots of plankton and aquatic insects, it’s a no-brainer to expect loads of bluegill and other sunfish hiding under the canopy.

Prespawn bass lurking amid the stems make short work of distracted panfish, so think of this as a mall food court—comfy, convenient, and perfectly suited for the seasonal spawning cycle.

“With the spatterdock, most of the time, those are growing on harder bottom,” he said. “Those pads tend to grow in tight clusters, so the root system is typically small and compact, so that’s a great place for a fish to spawn next to.

“Because these pads aren’t laying flat, there’s plenty of sunlight penetration. That’s better for spawning because the fish get sunlight on their bed and the eggs.”

The Transition: Bass that choose to spawn amid the pads don’t necessarily depart this habitat once their job is done. Sure, they’ll move off the beds at the appropriate time, but complete departure really isn’t the wisest move.

The same shade and feeding opportunities that served their prespawn needs work just as well for the postspawn.

“As soon as they spawn, they don’t go right out to deep water,” he said. “They want to hang around shallow—sometimes, for a few weeks—and eat bluegill and whatever else is up there.”

Pad Particulars

Like any aquatic habitat, not every pad field presents the same opportunity level. The bigger-is-better mentality might work for laydowns, docks, bridges, etc., but Garrett’s not necessarily on board with that notion for his pad selection.

“Here’s something a lot of people don’t understand about that type of vegetation: during the daytime, emergent vegetation gets its oxygen from the air,” he said. “But at nighttime, that vegetation gets its oxygen from the water.

<p.“So, I don’t prefer to be around those big, massive pad fields during the spawn, because the oxygen levels can be too low for spawning fish. I like that isolated stuff. The smaller the clump, the better my chances of getting a bite (during the springtime).”

As he points out, while spawners need an oxygen-rich environment, the same applies to postspawners. For one thing, recovering females need that rejuvenating habitat, but fry guarders also want to keep their little ones tucked safely amid protecting cover with good, breathable water.

“Those fish need (good dissolved oxygen content) 24/7, so if you are around a big pad field, those fish will tend to live more toward the edge of that pad field,” he said.

Garrett’s pad picking criteria also includes leeward protection. Cold and warm fronts bring pad-whipping winds and bass don’t appreciate a bunch of stems smacking them in the face.

“A lot of times, I’ll look for south-facing banks or pockets, because those get more sunlight and they tend to warm up quicker,” he said. “If you can find pad fields on a south-facing bank that’s protected from the wind, that’s ideal.”

What to Throw

Once he locates the right scenario, he go-to is a Texas-rigged Strike King Ocho stick worm. With a 1/8-ounce weight, this bait easily slides in and out of cover without blowing unseen opportunities.

“When I’m flipping spatterdock, I take into consideration that there could be a bed fish just about anywhere, so something light and non-intrusive allows me to cover water without spooking those fish with something that’s too big,” Garret said. “For the outside edge for pre and postspawners, I like to imitate shad with a 3/8-ounce SK Tour Grade double willow spinnerbait.”

For surprising prespawners and postspawners cooling their heels under flat pads, flipping the bigger profile of a Strike King Rodent with a heavier weight often delivers the bites. Other productive options include a Strike King Sexy Frog and a Strike King Tour Grade Swim Jig with a Strike King Rage Craw or Menace.

Positioning tip: “I always like to keep the wind in my face, so I don’t get blown around,” Garrett said. “Don’t avoid big pad fields, but focus on that outside edge and look for isolated clumps.”

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