I am fishing the Columbia River backwaters and sloughs right now. Do not bother with the main part of the river, it is too cold.
Bass are moving into calm places that are warmer than the main Columbia in preparation to spawn. Look for them in protected marinas, long coves, and sloughs along the highways and railroad tracks with water depths that range from 2-15 feet. That is where the bass are congregating as they approach the spawn.
I found a place like that where the water was in the high 70s on Sunday, which is where the 6 pound smallie hen grabbed my purple senko and ran away with it hooking herself up in the process. What I call a suicide fish because they pretty much catch themselves. The same rules apply to the Willamette River.
Bass in lakes behave the same way, but the timing of temp changes differ a lot depending on lake elevation and average water depth. In any case, this time of year look for bass in places that are warmer than the main body of water. Then check what direction the sun is coming from and fish the banks that are getting the most exposure. Work those areas moving along quickly until you start getting bites. Then slow down and work it really thoroughly. Look for microclimates within those spaces.
When I fish a cove right now I am going straight to the spots in the very back that get the least wind and the most sun, and cast into 2 feet of water and work it out to about 15 feet in depth. Fish close to the bottom and slow until the bass tell you to do otherwise. They will start hitting topwater any day now.
The past couple weeks my bites have happened in 6-15 feet. Later this week they will be biting at 2-15 feet if the water continues to warm up.
I am fishing this Thur, Fri, Sat and with this weather expect to catch 50-100 fish per day in 8 hours of fishing time. I will not name any exact locations publicly, but I am open to fishing together or in a small group and going to some of my spots.
Just send me a private message to connect. It is always more fun when sharing the experience.
Go getem while the bass fishing is hot!