How can I put you On ‘Em & help you catch your PB?

I am planning a trip next spring what are the best bass fishing lakes in the US

Heck yeah—spring’s prime time to whack big bass. “Best” depends on what you want (giants vs. numbers, largemouth vs. smallmouth vs. spotted, travel radius, and exact month). Here’s a hard-hitting, spring-focused short list by category to help you pick your targets, then I’ll build you a lake-by-lake game plan with GPS waypoints once you choose.

Summary

• Trophy largemouth (double-digit potential): O.H. Ivie (TX), Lake Fork (TX), Sam Rayburn (TX), Toledo Bend (TX/LA), Santee Cooper (SC), Kissimmee Chain/Toho (FL), Lake Okeechobee (FL), Clear Lake (CA), Chickamauga (TN), Guntersville (AL), Choke Canyon (TX), Caddo (TX/LA)
• Smallmouth all-stars: St. Lawrence River (NY), Lake Erie (OH/PA/NY), Lake St. Clair (MI/ON), Lake Champlain (NY/VT), Mille Lacs (MN), Dale Hollow (TN/KY), Pickwick/Wilson tailraces (AL/TN)
• Spotted bass specialists: Lake Lanier (GA), New Bullards Bar (CA), Smith Lake (AL), Lake Hartwell (SC/GA), Shasta & Oroville (CA)
• Numbers factories (easy limits, great action): Sam Rayburn, Toledo Bend, Guntersville, Table Rock (MO), Lake of the Ozarks (MO), Oneida (NY), Lake Murray (SC), St. Clair (MI), Oroville/Shasta (CA)

When to Go by Region (spring)

• FL and South TX: Jan–March (multiple spawn waves around new/full moons, but prioritize warming trends and water clarity over the moon)
• AL/GA/SC/TX East/LA: Feb–April
• TN River/Ozarks: March–April
• Northeast: May–June
• Upper Midwest: Late May–June (ice-out dictates timing)

Best Lakes with Why + Spring Tips
Trophy Largemouth

• O.H. Ivie, TX: Current king for giants. Clear to stained; many suspend over timber. Tools: forward-facing sonar, big swimbaits, A-rigs, glide baits, LiveScope jerkbaits.
• Lake Fork, TX: Creek channel swings, timber-lined spawning flats. Tips: lipless and chatterbaits pre-spawn; Texas rigs/jigs for beds; watch the slot if harvesting.
• Sam Rayburn, TX: Grass edges and secondary points. Tips: red lipless, JackHammer, spinnerbaits, Carolina rigs; drift wind-blown grass for big pre-spawners.
• Toledo Bend, TX/LA: Mid-lake creeks (Housen/Six Mile) for pre-spawn to spawn. Tips: traps, chatterbaits, wacky rigs on beds; idle for grass lines.
• Santee Cooper (Marion/Moultrie), SC: Cypress trees, shallow flats. Tips: black/blue jigs, white swim jigs, big Senkos around trees; be wind-aware on Moultrie.
• Kissimmee Chain/Toho, FL: Hydrilla, pads, shell bars. Tips: speed worms, gold traps, black/blue flippin’ baits; sight-fish on sunny afternoons after a warming trend.
• Okeechobee, FL: Water level dependent—best when 12–14 ft. Tips: swim jigs, toads, flipping mats; find clean water and hard-bottom spawning bays.
• Clear Lake, CA: Big average size. Tips: ripbaits, LV-500s, A-rigs pre-spawn; jigs/Senkos on rock/tules for spawners; watch algae/water clarity shifts.
• Chickamauga, TN: Grass + current influence. Tips: red traps and vibrating jigs pre-spawn, then Texas rigs/jigs in pockets; watch TVA flow.
• Guntersville, AL: Classic grass fishery. Tips: A-rigs, traps, chatterbaits; bed bite in pockets with cleaner water.

Smallmouth Crushers

• St. Lawrence River, NY: World-class size. Tips: jerkbaits/hair/3.5” tubes/DS gobies on breaks and flats; forward-facing sonar for roamers. Check NY regs by date/zone.
• Lake Erie, OH/PA/NY: Giants but wind-limited. Tips: blade baits early, then tubes/Neds/DS. Always check marine forecast.
• Lake St. Clair, MI/ON: Numbers factory, late May–June for bed/post-spawn. Tips: drifts with tubes, swimbaits, Neds in 8–16 ft, use driftsock.
• Lake Champlain, NY/VT: Mix of brown/green. Tips: jerkbaits and swimbaits on points pre-spawn, wacky/Neds on beds; manage wind and long runs.
• Mille Lacs, MN: True footballs. Tips: hair and jerkbaits pre-spawn; Neds/DS on beds; verify MN seasons/harvest rules.

Spotted Bass Specialists

• Lake Lanier, GA: Mag spots, clear water. Tips: ditch fishing with flukes/jerkbaits March; May herring spawn topwater (Spooks/Sammys).
• New Bullards Bar, CA: Giant spots possible. Tips: finesse swimbaits and flutter spoons deep; ultra-clear stealth.
• Smith Lake, AL: Deep, clear. Tips: Damiki rigs under bait, shaky heads on bluff ends.
• Lake Hartwell, SC/GA: Spots + largemouth, strong April–May herring spawn. Tips: spree of topwaters on clay points post-spawn.

High-Action/Numbers Destinations

• Table Rock, MO: Consistent multi-species. Tips: jerkbaits/A-rigs pre-spawn; Keitechs, jigs, shaky heads on gravel points.
• Lake of the Ozarks, MO: Docks win. Tips: Wiggle Warts/Spros on rock transitions, then skip jigs under docks for spawners.
• Oneida, NY: Fun mix of SMB/LMB. Tips: jerkbaits and lipless on flats, then Neds/tubes on hard spots May–June.
• Lake Murray, SC: Herring bite late April–May. Tips: walking baits/prop baits on points at first light, then flukes.

Quick Seasonal Notes

• Largemouth spawn typically 60–68°F; smallmouth 58–64°F.
• New/full moons can push waves of spawners, but a 3–5 day warming trend is usually more important.
• Water clarity drives bait choice: dirtier = louder/brighter (reds/chartreuse traps, thumping jigs). Clear = natural (green pumpkin, translucent shad, subtle jerkbaits).
• Big water safety: Erie, St. Clair, Okeechobee can get dangerous quick—watch wind and fetch, have backup protected areas.

Quick Grab Gear List
“`gearlist
Rods:

• 7’3″ MH Mod-Fast casting (lipless/chatterbait)
• 7’2″ H Fast casting (flipping/jigs)
• 7′ M Fast casting (jerkbaits/topwater)
• 7′ M/ML Fast spinning (Ned/tube/dropshot) Reels:
• 7.1:1 baitcaster (multipurpose)
• 8.1:1 baitcaster (flipping/jigs)
• 2500–3000 spinning reel (finesse) Line:
• 15–17 lb fluorocarbon (moving baits/jerkbaits)
• 40–50 lb braid + 15–20 lb fluoro leader (chatterbaits/topwater)
• 12–15 lb fluoro (cranks)
• 10–15 lb braid main + 6–10 lb fluoro leader (finesse) Lures:
• 1/2–3/4 oz lipless (red, chrome/blue)
• 3/8–1/2 oz bladed jig (green pumpkin/white)
• Suspending jerkbaits (shad/natural)
• 3.3–4.3” swimbaits + 1/4–3/8 oz heads
• 5” Senkos (wacky/Texas), creature baits for beds
• Jigs 3/8–1/2 oz (black/blue, GP)
• Ned/tubes/dropshot (green pumpkin, goby) Terminal Tackle:
• 3/0–4/0 EWG, 1/0–2/0 wacky hooks
• Tungsten bullet weights 1/8–1/2 oz
• Carolina rig hardware, dropshot weights 1/8–3/8 oz
  Clothing:
• UV hoody, lightweight rain suit, deck boots
• Polarized glasses (copper/amber for sight-fishing) “`

Planning Tips

• Pressure: Big-name lakes get pounded on weekends. If you can, fish Tue–Thu or launch pre-dawn and run farther than the crowd.
• Lodging/ramps: Book early on hot lakes (Rayburn/Toledo Bend/Guntersville). Some waters have seasonal ramp closures or low-water issues—verify the week prior.
• Electronics: Side-scan to find grass edges/shell bars; forward-facing sonar shines for suspended pre-spawn bass (Ivie, Lanier, smallmouth).

Request for Your Input
Tell me:
1) Home base and max travel radius
2) Exact dates or month(s)
3) Target species mix (largemouth/smallmouth/spotted)
4) Trophy hunting vs. numbers
5) Boat, kayak, or bank
6) Comfort with big water/wind

Then I’ll pick the best 2–3 lakes for your window and deliver a one-page plan with launch ramps, hazard notes, daily game plan, and 6–10 GPS waypoints per lake in 5-decimal precision.

Validation
This is a broad, spring-smart short list based on current fishery trends and long-term performance. If you give me the details above, I’ll proceed to a dialed-in itinerary with exact spots and patterns.