DRAWING POWER

March 1, 2026|Ryan Hanks

DRAWING POWER

Catching Pre Spawn Giants With The 5.4 & 7.2 Echo

This is hands down one of the best times of year to catch your personal best.

Bass are at their absolute heaviest. They are feeding aggressively, preparing for the spawn, and looking for one thing. A big meal.

Over the years, I have learned something about true giants. They do not want to chase small forage all day. Big fish conserve energy. They would rather eat one or two substantial meals than burn calories hunting baitfish nonstop.

That is exactly where the 5.4 and 7.2 Echo shine.

When fished correctly, both profiles are incredibly effective tools for targeting prespawn giants.

We saw it firsthand on Lake Guntersville when National Champs Brody Robison and Dalton Head leaned on the 7.2 to build a massive 34 pound bag of giants, including Brody’s 9 pound personal best.

In this blog, I am going to break down how we target big prespawn fish with the Echo series, including:

• Where to find staging giants
• How we rig the 5.4 and 7.2
• The ideal gear setup
• The retrieve and overall approach

So you can apply these same principles on your home lake and give yourself a real shot at crushing your PB this spring.

Let’s get into it.

Why A Larger Profile Works In The Pre Spawn

During the prespawn, the focus is simple. Feed a giant bass a high protein meal before the spawn.

Big females are preparing for the most demanding period of their lives, and they are actively looking for substantial forage that makes the effort worth it.

DRAWING POWER

After years of throwing glide baits and swimbaits during the prespawn, I learned that increased profile equals increased drawing power. Drawing power is the ability to pull a fish off structure and make it commit to your presentation.

That is the key.

You are not just trying to get a reaction from a roaming fish. You are trying to trigger a giant that is positioned on a grass edge, a shell bed, a dock post, or a staging point. A larger profile forces that fish to make a decision.

It sounds counterintuitive. Many anglers assume a smaller profile will get more bites. And that can be true for numbers. But when you are targeting true giants, compact finesse baits often get little reaction from the biggest fish in the area.

Both the 5.4 and 7.2 Echo mimic a wide range of large forage found in many fisheries, including:

• Blueback herring
• Gizzard shad
• Trout
• Kokanee
• Alewives

They represent a full meal. And when you are targeting prespawn giants, that is exactly what you want.

Where To Target Them In The Pre Spawn

In early spring, water temperatures are still cold and bass are not fully committed to the banks yet. They position in what we call staging areas.

These are typically deeper zones located adjacent to spawning flats. Areas that allow fish to hold comfortably while waiting for the right conditions to move up.

High percentage staging locations include:

• Deeper docks inside pockets
• Drains and ditches leading into spawning flats
• Subtle channel swings
• Grass lines near spawning bays
• Rock transitions close to shallow water

The key is proximity. They want quick access to shallow spawning areas, but they are not ready to live there full time.

This is exactly why the Echo series is so effective during this window. The drawing power pulls big fish out of those staging zones and forces them to commit.

Prespawn Rigging Method

Tungsten Jig Head + Rolling Presentation

We have found the most effective way to rig both the 5.4 and 7.2 Echo during the prespawn is on a tungsten jighead like the Queen Ghost or a Rolling Strolling style head.

The key detail is the loop knot.

We tie a loop knot to the jighead to allow the bait to swing freely. That freedom of movement creates the subtle rolling action that makes the Echo come alive on a slow retrieve.

The Retrieve

Simple and controlled.

• Rod tip held high
• Slow, steady retrieve
• Light shakes of the rod tip
• Keep the bait above the fish

This time of year, less is more.

Water temperatures are still cold. Giants are not looking to burn energy chasing something erratic. They want an easy meal that stays in front of them and moves naturally. Overworking the bait will cost you bites.

Keep it above them. Keep it subtle. Let the drawing power do the work.

Complete Gear Breakdown

Rod

7 foot ML to M spinning rod.

This gives you the perfect blend of control and flex to create the rolling action while still launching long casts. Long casts are critical to stay off pressured fish and give them time to commit before the bait reaches the boat.

Reel

2500 to 3000 size spinning reel.

A 2500 is standard. A 3000 offers slightly more casting distance due to the larger spool. Both are excellent for this technique.

Line

12 to 20 pound CAST X12 braid depending on the scenario.

This is one of the most important components of the entire setup.

The thin diameter and smooth casting characteristics allow for extremely long casts, which means:

• Staying off pressured fish
• Covering more water
• Creating more opportunities

We pair it with a short 7 to 10 foot fluorocarbon leader depending on the fishery.

We do not allow the leader knot to pass through the guides. Keeping the knot outside the guides improves casting distance and preserves knot strength.

Jighead Details

We prefer a 4/0 to 5/0 hook size to properly match both Echo profiles and maintain balance throughout the retrieve.

We typically start light:

• 1/8 ounce
• 3/16 ounce

If depth or wind increases, adjust accordingly. Always start as light as conditions allow. A slower fall and more natural glide gets more bites in cold water.