A prominent Bass expert once estimated that 80% of the challenge in Bass fishing is finding the Bass.

Locating Bass may be difficult because seasonal movement patterns differ in almost every body of water. Temperature, oxygen level, food supply, and even the angle of the Sun's ray, have an effect on Bass location in each season.
 
Spring - Springtime movements of Bass center around spawning. Weeks before spawning begins, Bass start moving from deep water towards shallows that warm quickly.

Males move in first. During this pre-spawn period, look for Bass near their spawning grounds, but in slightly deeper water. On a warm day, Bass will move into the spawning area, even though spawning is weeks away. They retreat to deeper water when the weather cools. They may repeat this pattern often during the pre-spawn period.
 
Bass begin to feed when the water temperature edges above 50 degrees. But catching them is difficult until the water reaches around 55 degrees. Then they begin a feeding binge that is unequal at any other time of the year.

Anglers catch Bass in the shallows throughout the day. Bait fish are scarce, so Bass spend most of their time cruising shallow water in search of food, and because the Sun is at a low angle, light penetration does not force them into deeper water.  
 
Spawning begins when the water reaches the mid-60s. After depositing their eggs, the females abandon the nest. They feed very little for the next two to three weeks while they recover from spawning. Males guarding their beds will strike lures that come too close.
 
Water temperatures in the low 70s signal the beginning of the post-spawn period and the resumption of good fishing. Females have recovered and males have completed their nest guarding duties. Both feed heavily in the shallows but spend most of the day in deeper water.
 
Spring time movements of bass extend from February to April in southern waters.

Summer - As summer progresses, strong sunlight, or warm surface temperatures may force Bass out of shallow water. Bass form loose schools along deep structure, and cover during midday. But deep  in the shallows in morning and evening, food is easy to find, so feeding periods tend to be short. Some large-mouths stay in the shallows all day if the cover is dense enough, or the water murky enough to block out the sunlight.
 
Water temperatures above 80 degrees will usually push Bass deeper regardless of water clarity. But, in fertile lakes, low oxygen levels in the depths prevent Bass from going deeper. They must remain in warm, shallow water where they become listless and difficult to catch.
 
Fall and Winter - When the water begins to cool in fall, Bass in deep water return to the shallows. Early fall is much like the pre-spawn period. In most waters, the summers credation has reduced their food supply, so Bass roam the shallows looking for a meal, and with the Sun once again lower in the sky, they can stay shallow all day. But many anglers have quit fishing for the season by the time the Bass begin their fall feeding binge.
 
As the surface water continues to cool, it eventually reaches the same temperature as water in the depths. This starts the fall turnover. With water at the same temperature and density throughout, wind circulates the lake from top to bottom. Bass may be almost anywhere, so finding them is more of a challenge.

In late fall, the surface water becomes colder than water in the depths.  Bass prefer the warmer water so they move to deep areas of the lake.  They remain in these deep water haunts throughout winter whether or not the lake freezes over.   
 
Temperatures below 50 degrees makes bass sluggish and difficult to catch.  But a few days of warm sunny weather may draw them into these shallows.  Fishermen aware of the great season movement can enjoy some of the year's best fishing especially for big bass.  However, if water temperatures fall below 40 degrees, bass are almost impossible to catch.