Red Lures for April Bass Success – Land more Grass Hogs in your Net!
Keith Lusher 04.03.25
I’ll never forget the moment I learned just how powerful it could be to add red to my lure. I was fishing the Bogue Chitto and only had one 10-inch dink to my name after about an hour of fishing. That’s when I noticed an older gentleman quietly working a drain that emptied into the river. While I was struggling, he was steadily putting fish in the boat, one after another. After watching him land his fifth bass, my curiosity got the better of me. I eased my boat over and asked what I was missing. He glanced at my tackle and smiled knowingly. “Got anything with red in it?” he asked simply. Digging through my box, I found a black craw with red flakes, rigged it Texas-style, and started working the shoreline. Within minutes, I felt a solid thump and set the hook on a solid 2-pounder. That was just the beginning. By day’s end, I’d boated a limit of 10 bass working those shoreline drains with that simple red-flaked bait. It wasn’t complicated fishing wisdom or some secret spot – it was simply the power of red for April bass success.
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April Bass Fishing Success – Forget the Shad
Most anglers stay fixated on shad patterns year-round, missing April’s critical feeding shift. While there’s nothing wrong with throwing white and silver when baitfish are the main forage, pre-spawn presents an entirely different opportunity.
As April waters warm into the mid-50s, crawfish emerge from winter dormancy, becoming bass’ preferred meal. These protein-packed crustaceans are abundant, slow-moving, and calorie-rich – perfect for female bass building egg mass before the spawn.
At around 55 degrees, crawfish begin actively foraging and molting, taking on those distinct reddish-orange hues that stand out against lake bottoms. Bass are literally built to see this color – their retinas contain specialized cones sensitive to the red-orange spectrum of light. By throwing red in April, you’re not randomly trying colors; you’re strategically matching what bass are already keyed in on.
I’ve watched this play out in clear, shallow water countless times. When April hits, crawfish behavior shifts dramatically – they’re constantly moving, digging, and making themselves vulnerable. That’s your perfect opportunity to throw something red and reap the rewards.
April Bass Fishing Success – Tournament Proof
Talk is cheap in fishing circles. Anyone can claim a pattern works. What separates legitimate fishing knowledge from dock talk is how it performs when money’s on the line. The red April pattern has been validated repeatedly in tournament settings, often with spectacular results.
Remember when Randy Howell secured his Bassmaster Classic victory at Lake Guntersville in 2014? His primary weapon was a red crankbait that produced an impressive 29 pounds of bass on the final day. That’s not just a good bag — that’s the kind of legendary catch that makes careers.
I followed the Bassmaster Elite Series opener at Lake Martin closely a few years back. The tournament fell in early April, and a review of the baits used by the top 12 anglers revealed that most were throwing red crankbaits despite varying water clarity throughout the lake. Most interesting was that red proved equally effective in both stained and clear sections, challenging conventional wisdom about color selection.
When the nation’s top bass professionals converge on the same color pattern independently, it’s not coincidence — it’s confirmation.
I’ve seen the same pattern play out in local tournaments across the South. Last April, I fished a club tournament on a small reservoir in Mississippi where the winning angler boated five fish for 27 pounds — all on a red lipless crankbait worked along emerging grass lines. Second place wasn’t even close, coming in seven pounds lighter on a mixed bag of techniques.
What makes the tournament evidence so compelling is its consistency across different water bodies, weather conditions, and angler skill levels. Red simply produces in April, period.
April Bass Fishing Success – Selecting the Right Red Arsenal
Success with red baits during April isn’t about randomly tying on anything crimson. The right lure in the right situation can be the difference between limits and blanks.
Crankbaits- Red square bills dominate in warmer, stained waters with their erratic wobble. For clearer water, switch to deeper-diving models with tighter actions. Always bounce them off structure – that deflection triggers reaction strikes. The Bandit 200 in Red Spring Craw and Rapala DT6 in Demon are my consistent producers.
Lipless Crankbaits- The Strike King Red Eye Shad in Fire Craw is a staple in my April box. The ¼ ounce model has saved countless tournament days for me in skinny water when bass are pushing shallow. The tight vibration and loud rattling create the perfect combination of visual and audio cues that bass can track even in muddy water.
Jigs- Brown or green pumpkin football jigs with orange/red accents or trailers are deadly when worked along rocky points and ledges where pre-spawn bass stage. I pair these with bulky red rage-style trailers during April to present the tempting meal that female bass need as they prepare for the energy demands of spawning. One of my favorite jigs to use is Bass Patrol’s Silicon Football Jig in the Brown/Red Craw color
Chatterbaits- My Z-Man Jack Hammer chatterbait in Fire Craw rarely lets me down in April, especially with a Strike King Rage Swimmer in the same color as a trailer. This combo has produced several five-pounders for me during pre-spawn tournaments.
Spinnerbaits- Don’t overlook the power of silver/nickel bladed spinnerbaits with red kicker blades or red skirts during April. I like using a Nichols Colorado Willow Kicker Series Spinnerbait. The red kicker blade makes for a fantastic contrast against the rest of the lure.
The combination of flash and vibration with red coloration mimics both baitfish and crawfish, giving bass multiple feeding triggers in one package.
Final Thoughts
As someone who’s spent countless hours on waters from Texas to Florida, I’ve learned that sometimes the most effective fishing patterns persist for good reason. The April red pattern isn’t just another fishing theory — it’s a biological reality backed by science, tournament results, and decades of on-the-water experience.
When April arrives and those cool mornings carry the scent of spring across the water, there’s wisdom in reaching for something red. The bass agree—and that’s all the validation any serious angler needs.
My tackle bag always has at least five or six red options ready to go from March through May. Some days they sit untouched, but when conditions align, they’re absolute bass magnets that can transform a tough day into a memorable one.
So next time you’re out in April and the bite is slow, remember that old guy on the Bogue Chitto who changed my fishing forever: “Got anything with red in it?” Sometimes the simplest lessons produce the biggest results.
