Pro tip · Size
Match the length of the bait in the lake. When shad are 2 in, a 2.5 in crankbait beats a 4 in one.
What Do Bass Eat? Bass Forage by Season
Written by Atlas Editorial · Last updated
Bass eat mostly other fish — gizzard and threadfin shad, herring, bluegill and minnows — plus crawfish, frogs and large insects, and they switch between them by season. Match your lure to what they are eating that month.
Bass forage and the lures that match it
| Forage | Where and when | Matching lures |
|---|---|---|
| Gizzard and threadfin shad | Every Alabama reservoir; key in fall and winter | Crankbaits, swimbaits, A-rig, lipless, spoons |
| Blueback herring | Clear lakes including Smith Lake and Lake Martin | Larger swimbaits, wake baits, flukes, topwater |
| Bluegill and sunfish | Shallow cover all year; key around the bream spawn in late spring and summer | Bluegill-pattern swimbaits, squarebills, frogs |
| Crawfish | Rocky banks and riprap; peak in late winter and spring | Jigs, Texas-rigged craws, red and orange crankbaits |
| Frogs | Grass, pads and shorelines in summer | Hollow frogs, buzzbaits |
| Minnows, shiners, insects | Rivers, shallow creeks, ponds | Small crankbaits, inline spinners, finesse plastics |
Bass diet by season
- Late winter and spring: crawfish come out of the mud as the water warms past 50°F — red and orange baits work.
- Spawn and post-spawn: bass guard nests and eat less, then feed hard on shad spawning on riprap and grass at dawn.
- Summer: bluegill around cover and schools of shad offshore.
- Fall: shad move into creek arms and bass follow them shallow.
- Winter: threadfin shad can die off and drift in water below about 45°F; slow-falling spoons and jerkbaits imitate dying shad.
Forage pro tips
Pro tip · Find bait first
Gulls, loons and herons over open water mark bait schools in winter. On sonar, look for clouds of bait 10–30 ft down.
Pro tip · Watch the mouth
Bass that cough up shad or crawfish in the livewell tell you exactly what to throw next.
Questions from the ramp
Sources
- — Bassmaster — technique and tackle archive
- — Major League Fishing — tournament technique coverage
- — ADCNR Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries — Alabama fishing
Data last reviewed: 2026-11-05