“My favorite pattern is to follow a creek channel,” he exulted. “Find a creek channel and it will lead you to bass every time. In the spring, creek channels that lead to secondary points are gold. In the summer, I look for creek channels that lead to main-lake points.”

Richards’ preferred method to implement the creek channel pattern is with a Carolina rig paired with a tungsten weight, two glass beads, swivel, 2 to 3 feet of fluorocarbon leader, and 12/50 Power Pro line. For lures, Duane opts for Chompers twin-tailed skirted or plain grubs, Yamamoto crayfish and Senkos, Case Magic Stiks, and Zoom flukes. Note that the bass Richards is targeting may be in water as deep as 25 to 30 feet.

Pattern number two involves downed trees.

“Most guys like to work downed trees with spinnerbaits because they don’t get hung up,” he explained. “The problem is that bass which locate around trees see spinnerbaits all day long. So, I like to cast a lure that is not even made anymore, a Rebel Deep Crank R, to a laydown.

“Now, I don’t just like to hit one area of a tree and leave. I approach that tree from every direction and make repeated casts to every limb, trying to run the bait against those limbs.”

Richards’ third pattern is to employ a 5/16- to 3/4-ounce jig and a crayfish trailer. He works the same places as he does with a Carolina rig, meaning that he is using this bait in water as deep as 30 feet. This requires, he emphasizes, non-stretch line such as Power Pro 12/50. The Power Pro also offers excellent feel. Finally, this pattern is at its best after the spawn and during the summer months.

These patterns can produce both largemouths and smallmouths on lakes that hold both, although largemouths will make up the major part of the catch. If anglers want to concentrate on smallmouths, Richards suggests that they employ a 7-inch lizard on a Carolina rig and work the ends of secondary rock points.

Sometime in May or June after the spawn, both largemouths and smallies will be holding more on main-lake channel points and could be anywhere along these locales. Richards suggests starting in deep water (30 or so feet) and then progressively going shallower. It is always easier and more efficient, he said, to start deep and move shallow than the reverse.

TEDDY CARR: TARGETING MAY LARGEMOUTHS
Teddy Carr is one of the best lake largemouth guides I have ever fished with. His home waters are Lake Anna and the Tidal Potomac and Rappahannock. For pre-spawn lake angling, he concentrates on these locales.

“I hit roadbeds, main-lake points, main-lake islands, and channel banks,” Carr said. “For example, on Anna, the roadbed at the mouth of Levy Creek and the old Route 208 roadbed are classics. The channel bank at the mouth of Sturgeon Creek, main-lake points around the splits, and the main-lake Jetts Island are also good examples.

“For cover, points, like those around the splits on Anna, are great sources of bass habitat. For the most part, Anna’s main-lake cover is submerged in the form of boulders, smaller chunk rock and stumps. For structure, check out deep secondary points, channel banks, and channel breaks adjacent to shallow flats.”