‘Tis the season to catch your personal best. This month, bruiser bass will be roaming the shallows, staging in predictable areas. Follow the advice of these Elite Series pros to up the odds of landing one

WE’RE STARTING THE second quarter with a bang, as prespawn/spawning season offers great opportunities to bend a rod on your personal best. Check out what these Elite anglers have to say about tracking down the giants of spring.

Brandon Cobb — Southern Reservoir

Looking primarily for spawners, with some in postspawn mode, the easygoing Bassmaster Elite Series angler from South Carolina does his best to create the kind of head-turning commotion that redlines a giant largemouth’s aggression. He does so by focusing on shallow spawning zones and covering water with a buzzbait.

On lakes such as Murray, Hartwell and Lanier, Cobb’s weapon of choice is the Greenfish Tackle Toad Toter, which features a streamlined, skirt-less form with an unpainted leadhead designed with bait keepers. He pairs this with a Zoom Horny Toad, which enhances the disturbance and provides the lift he needs to keep the bait running high in the