Mark Zona points anglers in the right direction for targeting bass in Zone 5 during the month of May.
In May, Zona advises that the fish are coming in numbers and focused on one thing – eating. “What I'm looking for is the biggest dinner plate that the body of water can offer - which are flats. [Flats] warm the fastest and is also going to be very close to where they'll spawn in late May going into June,” shares Zona.
He is always on the hunt to find the areas in which there is a mixture of cover – grass to gravel, gravel to sand – and where there is a lot of wind. Zona also focuses on using moving baits.
“The summary here – we're throwing all moving baits and collision baits. Don't get me wrong, I use slower baits, but I primarily use moving baits to find them before using something slower. The fish are aggressive enough that you definitely want to start with the moving baits,” offers Zona.
Zona uses this ½-oz swimbait when fishing in flats, including grass, gravel, and sand. If the water is clear, Zona prefers the Bluegill. In stained water, he switches to the Baby Carp.
For muddy water, Zona will favor a Tomato. Zona fishes the Red Eyed Shad on a Lew’s Signature Series KVD 7’ Cranking Rod, pairing it with a Lew’s Pro TI 7.5:1 baitcast reel. He fishes with 15 lb fluorocarbon line.
Zona likes to fish with the ½- oz Thunder Cricket when fishing flats, including grass, gravel, and sand. Zona’s choice for clear water is the Green Pumpkin, while he opts for Blue Craw if the water is stained.
He switches to a Lew’s KVD Series 7’4” Squarebill Rod and pairs it with a HyperMag 8.3:1 baitcast reel. He uses 20 lb fluorocarbon line with this setup.
This KVD J300 is one of Zona‘s top choices when fishing flats where there is grass, gravel, and sand. He opts for the Clear Water Minnow in clear water, and switches to AYU if the water is stained.
Zona throws the KVD J300 on a Lew’s 7’ Medium Heavy Rod and a Custom Lite 7.5:1 reel. He spools the combo with 12 lb fluorocarbon line
Zona uses the 3.75-in Rage Swimmer when fishing grass, gravel, and sand flats. - If the water is clear, he will throw a Pro Blue Red Pearl, while more stained water calls for AYU.
He uses the Rage Swimmer on a Lew’s Signature Series 7’ Mark Rose Rod, paired with a Pro TI 7.5:1 baitcast reel. Zona spools his combo with 12-15 lb line depending on the depth.
Zona typically uses the ¼-½ oz Hack Attack Swim Jig when fishing on flats in 5 feet or less of water. He opts for Green Pumpkin in clear water. If the water is stained, he will throw the Blue Craw, while he will switch to a Black and Blue or White if the water is muddy. He pairs it with a Rage Craw or Scounbug trailer in Green Pumpkin.
Zona fishes the Hack Attack Swim Jig on a Lew’s Andy Montgomery 7’3” Bladed Swimjig Rod, paired with a Pro TI 7.5:1 reel. He spools this with 30 lb braided line
Bass are starting to spawn in Zone 5 and Strike King pro Jay Przekurat has a couple of suggestions for anglers looking to catch big bass in May.
With rising water temperatures, bass are looking for the best places to spawn. “First, this is the prime time for bass to start spawning. The water temps are getting in the upper 50's to mid-60's and they are ready to hit the beds,” Przekurat says. “Another thing that will be going on is pre-spawn fish still pulling up out of deep water,” adds Przekurat.
With bass on the move, Przekurat has a few key places that he recommends anglers hit first when fishing in Zone 5. “Backs of pockets and anywhere that is out of the current and or around hard bottom are great places for bass to spawn and feel comfortable,” shares Przekurat.
If the water is clear, Przekurat prefers Green Pumpkin. In stained water, he switches to Black Blue Flake. For muddy water, he will favor Blue Craw.
The Strike King KVD Perfect Plastics Ocho has smooth, beveled sides to reflect light in different directions, creating a flash unlike any other soft bait. Ocho also has a slow sink rate and is versatile, but ideal for jerkbaiting and wacky rigging.
Przekurat’s choice for all water conditions is Pearl for the Rage Bug Midsize.
Crafted to be the ultimate flip bait, the unique streamlined shape of the body allows it to easily move through cover with an unmistakable crawfish glide.
He opts for Green Pumpkin in clear water, and switches to Blue Fleck if the water is stained.
With a slightly larger body size than the original, Strike King’s Fat Baby Finesse Worm is perfect for shakey head, and the oversized presentation pairs perfectly with larger tackle.
If the water is clear, he will throw Blue Craw, while more stained water calls for June Bug. In muddy conditions, Przekurat will choose Triple Magic.
When bites are hard to come by, go retro with a Strike King KVD Supa Fry. Its classic shape has accounted for countless limits over the years – but now the Strike King pros have updated this venerable finesse bait to make it even deadlier.
He opts for Green Pumpkin Purple in clear water. If the water is stained, he will throw Triple Magic, while he will switch to Green Pumpkin if the water is muddy.
This eye-catching, large-bodied drop-shot lure features a bulky profile and irresistible erratic darting action while a flat bottom keeps the half-shell horizontal. The Strike King KVD Drop Shot Half Shell OPT includes a distinctive laminate and Open Pour Technology finish for long lasting, fish hooking performance.
