Photo by Ron Sinfelt

By Mike Thompson

Ask anglers who travel through south Alabama using either Interstate 10 or 65 just what captures their attention most, and the majority are likely to mention the Mobile/Tensaw River Delta. This vast wetland is a system of waterways of many different types. From large lakes to the multitude of winding creeks and shallow-water bays, the delta is the prime ecosystem of coastal Bama for a variety of wildlife and myriad species of fish.

There is no disputing the beauty and raw splendor that this area offers. Whether crossing the high hump bridge on I-65 or the relatively low expanse of the I-10 crossing Mobile Bay, the dominant theme is water, and lots of it. For anglers in particular, the area also shouts largemouth bass!

If you are an angler lucky enough to be within driving distance of the delta, you already know how productive the area can be. If you happen to be a visitor, you quickly find out that the Mobile/Tensaw Delta lives up to the hype.

Like any other body of water, the delta has certain times or seasons that are more productive than others. Probably the best time for delta bassin' is in the spring, when the annual spawning ritual is taking place. Females eager to put on weight before the spawn and aggressive male bass make spring fishing almost easy.

After a typical winter, the delta waters are cold and muddy from annual rains. Warming rays from the sun in spring help to raise the temperature and jump-start the growth of delta grasses. These same grasses act as filters, clearing the muddy waters with each passing spring day.

With water temperatures in the mid to high 50s, delta bass start staging in the deep creeks near shallow-water bays. It is not unusual to pick up nice limits of bass on these "highways" to the spawning grounds.

A typical hotspot is any structure in the deep creek, such as downed trees, snags or sudden dropoffs. Working these places with plastic worms or jig-and-pig combinations can yield optimum catches for those willing to work the baits slowly and methodically.

Finding such places can be hit-or-miss during the pre-spawn season. As the days get longer and water temperatures begin to rise, anglers should seek out the northern ends of shallow grassy bays for the first signs of spawning activity.

When the water temperatures start climbing into the mid-60s, it's time to hit the shallow, grass-filled bays for the best action of the year.

With just a little coaching, even novice fishermen can catch their share of bass using the delta's most reliable fishing lure - a spinnerbait. When the bite is on in spring, aggressive fish attack bladed baits with authority!

Grandquest has honed his skills with spinnerbaits well enough to earn local and regional fame. Among the accomplishments he has achieved are Mobile City Bass Championships in 1997 and 2001, two top-10 finishes in FLWOutdoors/Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League events, and qualifying for the BFL Regionals in 2002 and 2003.

As you can tell, spinnerbaits have been very good to Grandquest. Even though success has come as a result of spinnerbaits, Grandquest had relied on plastic worms as a go-to bait until he sought out the advice of some seasoned delta anglers.

"When I started tournament fishing in the mid-'80s, I sought knowledge from the old-timers. All the older guys told me that in spring on the delta there was no better bait than the Hildebrandt Snagless Sally. They even narrowed it down to one color combination - yellow with a green pork frog trailer. I used it, and it worked great," said Grandquest.

"Later I tried other colors and combinations of the Sally and discovered a few more deadly versions. The yellow-and-black, crawfish (yellow/brown/red) color, and bruiser (purple/ black and blue) colors are my favorites. For trailers I prefer a green-and-white pork frog for the yellow-and-black and crawfish colors. I use a white twin-tailed trailer with the bruiser Sally.

"I choose the color of my blades depending on two things," Grandquest continued. "First is water clarity. If the water is stained to muddy, I use gold blades. If the water is clear, I use silver. The same train of thought goes with weather conditions. With cloudy or overcast skies, I use gold blades. And with clear sunny skies, I prefer silver."

Even though Grandquest relies heavily on the in-line spinnerbaits, he does have another brand that has started building impressive catch rates in spring.

"I picked up on the War Eagle spinnerbaits a couple of years ago. I tried them because of the color options they offered. I've been experimenting with different colors and trailer combinations. So far I've been impressed at how much the bass like this bait," Grandquest said.

Grandquest has his own theory as to why spinnerbaits are so effective in the delta in spring. Actually, he had a little help in coming to the conclusion.

"Auburn University recently completed a study on the feeding habits of bass in the Mobile/Tensaw Delta. It turns out that the top two feeding choices of delta bass are small crabs and shrimp. This should come as no surprise in the brackish-water environment," Grandquest offered.

"I, along with other delta anglers, feel that the fluttering motion of the spinnerbait trailers closely resembles a small crab swimming just below the surface. In fact, the trailer legs look like the claws of a small crab as it hesitates along its journey."