Strike King and Lew’s pro Andy Montgomery shares his insight on fishing in Zone 3 during the month of May.
“I like to break this month into two categories—shallow water forage and deep forage,” says Montgomery. Early in May, he focuses on bass feeding on shad or bluegill in shallow, shaded areas. By late May, it becomes bluegill “revenge time” as these fish begin preying on newly hatched bass fry, so anglers should still use bluegill-imitating baits but target fingerling bass.
When the bass move deeper to chase shad later in the month, Montgomery says you can get more aggressive with lures like 6XD crankbaits and jigging spoons. “Long points, ledges, or deep drop-offs are key target areas,” he advises, noting that the fish haven’t yet become conditioned to power fishing techniques.
If the water is clear, Montgomery prefers the Green Pumpkin. For stained or muddy water, he will favor a Morning Dawn. He usually pairs it with
a Drop Shot bait.
The key feature of the Filler Worm is the vibrant action of the simplistic, yet enticing tail of the worm, causing it to quiver and move at the slightest flicker of the rod tip.
Montgomery’s choice for clear water is the Sexy Shad, while he opts for the Neon Shad if the water is stained. In muddy water, he throws a Chartreuse Shad.
He switches to a Lew’s Signature Series Mark Rose Swimbait 7’6” medium heavy rod and pairs it with a HyperMag 8.3:1 baitcast reel.
When fishing this set up, Montgomery uses 15 lb fluorocarbon.
This Skip’N Buzz is Montgomery’s top choice when fish are in shaded areas in shallow water. He usually pairs it with a Rage Swimmer bait.
He opts for the Green Pumpkin in clear and stained water, and switches to Black if the water is muddy.
Montgomery throws the Skip’N Buzz on a Lew’s Signature Series Andy Montgomery 7’3” medium heavy rod and a Pro SP reel. He spools the combo with 20 lb fluorocarbon.
Montgomery usually pairs the Skipping Jig with a Rage Bug bait. If the water is clear or stained, he will throw a Green Pumpkin, while muddy water calls for a Black and Blue.
He uses the Skipping Jig on a Lew’s Signature Series Andy Montgomery 7’1” heavy rod, paired with a Lew’s Pro SP reel. Montgomery spools his combo with 20 lb fluorocarbon line.
Strike King pro Andy Morgan shares how the shad spawn can affect where bass are found during May in Zone 3.
With warmer than usual temperatures in May, Morgan says bass can be found in both shallower and deeper waters in Zone 3. “It is typical for the fish to creep out to where they are actually coming to the main lake. Once they start out, the only thing that slows them down is the shad spawn,” says Morgan.
There are a few key locations that Morgan encourages anglers to check out. “The shad spawn will be on rock, boat docks, grass, and wood. Also, maybe any type of vegetation that is near the surface,” he shares. Based on their interest in spawning shad, bass may be found in the shallows on the hunt for food. “Of course, [the shad spawn] holds the bass up and that is the only thing that will keep them in the bays and the shallows. Once that shad spawn ends, typically – it’s a ledge thing,” Morgan advises.
If the water is clear, Morgan prefers Olive Shad. In stained or muddy water, he switches to White.
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Morgan’s choice for clear water is White Silver, while he opts for Chartreuse White if the water is stained or muddy.
Featuring a Gamakatsu hook and weight forward head design, Strike King’s Tour Grade Spinnerbait enables swift movement through heavy cover. The light wire frame helps produce maximum vibration, paired with a pro-designed, hand-tied skirt.
He opts for Natural Shad in clear water, and switches to Olive Shad if the water is stained. In muddy water, Morgan prefers Citrus Shad.
Able to dive up to 15 feet, the Pro Model 5XD features a newly designed bill and specifically chosen colors to target deep fish.
If the water is clear, he will throw Natural Shad, while more stained water calls for Olive Shad. Citrus Shad is his go-to in muddy water.
With the ability to reach depths of up to 20 feet, Strike King’s Pro Model 6XD has the perfect combination of shimmy and wiggle to get the attention of picky bass to trigger more bites.
He opts for Natural Shad in clear water. If the water is stained or muddy, he will throw Bone.
The best premium “walk the dog” topwater lure available in the market today, Strike King’s Sexy Dawg features a unique design and a walking action unlike any other topwater lure.
Strike King pro Mark Menendez shares why May is one of the coolest times to fish in Zone 3.
May in Zone 3 is a time of transition from spawning in early May to summer patterns in late May. Menendez encourages anglers to look for structure, where schools of fish will be staging. “First, look for a spawning area, then look for the first structure element in front of that spawning area. That can be a long point, a creek channel bend, anything like that,” shares Menendez.
“This time period is one of the coolest things – anglers can learn about their bass,” says Menendez. “Normally, when you find a school of fish, you don’t catch a 1-pounder then a 5-pounder then a 2-pounder then a 7- pounder. You catch fish that are grouped to size. Why do fish school together in the same size? Athletic ability,” Menendez continues. While there is more size variation in schools during the earlier parts of the month, the sizing becomes far more homogeneous in later parts of the month."
As we get closer to the latter part of the month, you’ll find that the size classes of fish will roam together and school together,” says Menendez. So, when you find that first catch on your long point or channel swing, continue to look for stumps, rocks, hard clay, or a hard shell bed and there are bound to be more of the same size.
If the water is clear, Menendez prefers the Blue Craw. In stained water, he switches to the Junebug. For muddy water, he will favor a Black Blue Flake.
The lifelike design of the Rage Craw features two realistic pincers and a long, slender body to create lots of turbulence. Strike King’s Rage Craw can be Texas- rigged, Carolina- rigged, or used as a jig trailer.
Menendez’s choice for clear water is the Blue Craw Red Flake, while he opts for Bama Bug if the water is stained. Black Blue Flake is his first choice when fishing in muddy conditions.
Created to efficiently move through cover without getting hung up, Strike King’s Game Hawg is supple and its totally natural build allows it to slither cleanly through vegetation with no loss of action
He opts for the Ox Blood in clear water, and switches to a Hard Candy if the water is stained. Menendez opts for the Black in muddy conditions.
Extremely versatile, the KVD Perfect Plastics Finesse Worm is deadly on a shakey head, dances enticingly on a drop shot rig, and has Strike King’s exclusive Coffee Scent technology.
If the water is clear, he will throw a Chartreuse Sexy Shad, while more stained water calls for a Gizzard Shad. He chooses a Blue Back Chartreuse when fishing in muddy conditions.
A medium-sized body with a medium wobble and medium buoyancy, the Series 5 has a two degree diving plane to allow for lengthened casts and deeper depths!
