Minimalist baits like a Micro TRD might best be viewed as an after dinner mint for bass. As summer approaches, newly hatched clouds of baby gamefish, shad, shiners and bullheads enliven the menu. Invertebrates such as mayfly and midge larvae and aquatic worms known as oligochaetes can all figure prominently into bass feeding. Late winter through spring is one phase when bass may key on colonies of freshwater invertebrates as a means of maintenance feeding, nourishing themselves until baitfish begin to hatch. Unquestionably, while bass of both species derive greater caloric value and growth from a diet of larger baitfish, invertebrates and young fish (including bass fry) can sustain bass during coolwater periods, while heartier food is scarce. A separate study of smallmouth bass2 found that among 95 bass stomachs containing food, 58 contained small crayfish, while only 13 held fish. One study1 of largemouth bass diets, for example, revealed that among a sample size of 43 adult bass, 30 of their stomachs contained invertebrates (insects and larvae), while only 19 contained fish or 257 total invertebrates versus 118 fish. Turns out, bass of all sizes feed on small stuff-invertebrates like baby crayfish, insect larvae and tiny minnows-much more often than we realize. And as you’ve probably already discovered-although you’ll catch plenty of smaller fish-some of the bass will be those 3- to 5-pound footballs. Ladson, SC – Ever wondered why, year after year, some your biggest bass seem to chomp the smallest lures you throw? Why those big old largemouths won’t leave you alone when all you want to do is catch crappies? And why, even when the water’s cold or the bite’s completely off, smallmouth bass continue munching those tiny little baits with aggression?Įvery season, but especially in the coolwater periods of winter and spring, microbaits from 1- to 3-inches deliver consistent if not occasionally spectacular bass bites.

Macro fish and consume bait