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Bass have endured the rigors of spawning and are now ready to take a break to recuperate from their annual chores of procreating.

The fishing seemed a lot easier during the spawn when bass aggressively attacked anything that ventured into the nests. However, the early postspawn period tends to frustrate the average angler because the fish become sluggish and want to rest for a while. Post spawn male bass remain aggressive though to protect fry and hunger triggers a recuperating female bass to ambush any prey that enters her resting spot.

On many reservoirs, a bass migrates from the spawning bank to its summertime haunt along a basic route. In most of the lakes the spawning banks will consist of pea gravel or hard mud bottom along shallow flats or pockets in coves. Here’s a look at three rest areas bass frequent on their migration from the shallows to their deeper summertime homes.

Post Spawn Bass In Pockets And Flats

Immediately following the spawn, bass will spend a short time on these spawning banks in the coves with the males guarding fry close to any available shallow cover and the females recuperating around docks, brush piles or weed beds in the 8- to 10-foot depth range. On my home waters of Lake of the Ozarks I throw topwater lures to catch bigger bass suspended along the deep ends of boat docks

Look Inside At Secondary Points

After their short respite on the spawning banks, bass will travel along a depression (ditch or creek channel) to the first major drop-off (usually a secondary point) where the fish set up ambush points around some type of cover such as pole timber, boulders or docks.

Post spawn bass will stay on this structure for about three or four weeks and suspend 8 to 20 feet deep in standing timber or under boat docks. A shad spawn usually occurs during this time so bass will move to the rocky shallows of the secondary points early in the morning to feed on the spawning baitfish.

Post Spawners On Main Lake Points

While some bass stay on the secondary points or channel drops throughout the summer others migrate to the long, tapering points on the main lake to feed before setting up on deeper structure for the summer. These points provide bass a multitude of depths for feeding, recuperating from the spawn and gradually retreating to their summertime haunts. Postspawn bass can feed in the shallows during the early morning, and then follow baitfish to the mid-depth ranges for a brief brunch. The point’s drop-off serves as an afternoon resting spot for these weary fish.