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Only a bassfisherman would welcome finding a bald spot. That’s because it can lead to verygood fishing on a reservoir in the spring.

Bald spots formwhen the grass on an underwater hump is exposed during the winter drawdown.That vegetation dies, and when the water rises again in spring, it submerges abare-topped hump, usually about 5 to 10 feet deep and surrounded by thickgrass. The resulting edge cover concentrates bass in a place that’s fairly easyto find and even easier to fish.

Here’s how to locate bald spots, position your boat, and cast the rightlures to catch these bass.

FIND THE SPOT
Search for contour changes with a depthfinder or by dragging a Carolina-riggedlizard along the bottom. Submergent grass is generally a foot or two high inspring, and you can easily feel the difference between a grassy bottom and ahard bald spot with the lure.

**MERRY-GO-ROUND
** Cast a Carolina-rigged lizard or a shallow-running crankbait into the bald spotand work the lure over and along the edge of the grass. Fish all the way aroundthe hump in a circle, and keep circling as long as the bass continue tobite.

BACK OFF
Don’t crowd a bald spot, or the bass will ignore your lure. Instead, positionthe boat about 30 feet from the grassy edge.