Photo by Craig Holt Largemouth bass have begun to move toward shallow water at Triangle lakes.

Not only has the crappie bite started at Triangle lakes, but the warming weather of the last two weeks in March has brought female largemouth bass from the depths.

“It’s prespawn time,” said Jamie Olive, a bass guide at Jordan and Falls of the Neuse lakes. “The magic temperature seems to be 49 to 50 degrees; that seems to trigger the big bass bite. In fact, nobody’s catching small bass; if you catch a bass now, it’s likely to be a hawg.”

Olive (Haulin’ Bass Guide Service, www.haulinbass.com, 919-625-0707) went bass fishing at Jordan recently with a couple of friends when the water temperature was 43 degrees, and they didn’t catch a fish.

“Those two guys went back to the same places three days later when the water temperature started out at 49 and rose to 50 and caught a 10-pounder, an 8 1/2-pounder and a 6-pounder," Olive said. "Fifty degrees seems to be the magic number."

Best places to try are rocks that heat up during the day as the sun shines. The sunlight warms the rip rap and surrounding water, attracting baitfish and bass. Crawfish, a favorite bass food that lives in rip-rap rocks, also become active when the water temperature warms.

“Bridges with rip rap at U.S. 64, White Oak Creek, Beaver Creek and Farrington Road are good places to try,” Olive said. “Just fish the sunny sides. It's better late in the day because that gives the water time to warm up more.”

Top lures have been white and white-chartreuse Hawg Caller spinnerbaits, Strike King RedEye Shads, Excaliber XR 74 shads and Rat-L-Traps. Olive said anglers should cast parallel at rip-rap bridge causeways.

“The shad lures are lipless crankbaits so you can retrieve them at any depth you want,” Olive said. “Chrome and white have been good colors.”

Female bass are starting to move toward shallow coves where they’ll spawn later.

“But they haven’t made it back there yet,” said Olive, who said several bass in the 9- and 10-pound range had been landed during the recent spring warm trend.