Welcome back to another episode of the Take It to the Bank Podcast! In this insightful and entertaining episode, host Ben Ballou sits down with legendary pro bass angler James Niggemeyer to dive deep into Texas bass fishing in the month of May—especially on the famed Lake Fork. Known for his humble attitude, deep faith, and one of the most unique names in the sport, James shares not only his fishing knowledge but also his inspiring personal story, from his rise in the Elite Series to his unwavering faith through life's toughest moments.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

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• How to find and fish the shad spawn across Texas lakes
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• Why Lake Fork in May is both magical and challenging for bass anglers
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• Proven tactics for fishing post-spawn bass, including frogs, swim jigs, Carolina rigs, and speed worms
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• How James breaks down standing timber and offshore structure
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• The real story behind James's social media fame and how his name became a talking point
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• How faith and fishing intersect in his life and career
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• Keys to fish care during tournaments and maximizing survival on warm spring days
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Bonus Content:

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• Deep dive into Birch Creek on Lake Fork, including map breakdowns and strategic locations
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• Setup recommendations: rods, reels, line, baits, and favorite colors
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• Why color selection may not be as complex as many think
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• Navigating the transition from shallow to offshore fishing during May
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• Top community holes and patterns working right now on Lake Fork
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Whether you're a tournament angler looking to refine your strategy or just a bass fishing fan who loves learning from the best, this episode is packed with actionable advice, heart, and humor. Don’t miss it.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro with James Niggemeyer

2:00 – The story behind the name and social media explosion

6:00 – James on faith, fishing, and life challenges

11:00 – Early years, Elite Series memories, and guiding in Texas

17:00 – Boater-on-boater drawdown stories from back in the day

23:00 – Shad spawn: locations, timing, and techniques

34:00 – Lake Fork in May: top patterns and baits

46:00 – Birch Creek map breakdown and how to fish it

55:00 – Offshore structure and southern Lake Fork strategy

59:00 – Gear setups: frogs, squarebills, Carolina rigs, and more

1:11:00 – How to approach standing timber confidently

Subscribe for more deep-dive conversations with top anglers, fishing strategies, and all things competitive bass fishing.

Keywords:

Texas bass fishing, Lake Fork, May bass fishing, shad spawn, James Niggemeyer, Take it to the Bank podcast, Bassmaster Elite Series, MLF, post-spawn bass, frog fishing, swim jig setup, Carolina rig, fishing tackle setup, standing timber bass, how to fish Lake Fork, bass tournament strategy, Christian anglers, bass fishing podcast

Welcome back to Take It to the Bank Podcast. In this episode, we sit down with BPT and MLF champion Jeremy Lawyer to talk everything April bass fishing. From targeting fish in all phases of the spawn to key strategies for navigating rapidly changing spring conditions, this conversation is packed with practical tips for serious anglers.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• An absolutely wild story about Drew Boggs and a Dremel tool that you’ve got to hear to believe

• The latest patterns on Grand Lake, Table Rock and Lake of the Ozarks

• Why fish positioning changes daily in April and how to stay ahead of them

• Jeremy’s go to sight fishing baits and techniques, including the underrated chicken rig

• The pros and cons of wacky rigs, trick worms, tubes and more when bed fishing pressured lakes

• How to choose the best bank lines, water color and spawning zones on highland reservoirs

• How Jeremy breaks down lake sections to target pre spawn, spawning and post spawn fish all in the same day

• Tips for reading bass behavior and knowing when to walk away from a stubborn bed fish

• His favorite line, hook and rod setups for finesse fishing and flipping

• The one fish that still haunts him years later and what it cost him

Whether you're fishing a tournament, preparing for a trip to Lake of the Ozarks or just trying to understand spring bass behavior better, this is the episode to study. Jeremy’s advice is based on decades of experience and delivers real world knowledge any angler can apply right now.

Be sure to subscribe to the channel for more pro angler interviews, bass fishing strategy, and behind the scenes stories from the water. Take It to the Bank Podcast is your go to source for seasonal breakdowns, gear tips and fishing insights straight from the pros.

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major streaming platforms.

Keywords

Bass fishing April

Lake of the Ozarks bass fishing

Jeremy Lawyer fishing

bed fishing tips

spawning bass strategies

fishing podcast

wacky rig setup

spring bass fishing

MLF pro angler

Take It to the Bank Podcast

chicken rig fishing

pre spawn bass

post spawn bass

highland reservoir fishing

bass sight fishing

Ozarks fishing spring

Jake Lawrence’s the hottest name in professional bass fishing right now 🔥 — straight off a Top 5 finish at MLF Redcrest, Jake Lawrence joins Take It to the Bank with Ben Ballou to talk all things April bass fishing, forward-facing sonar mastery, and one unforgettable moment live on national TV... (yes, THAT cast 😳)

Whether you're chasing spawning smallmouth on Kentucky Lake, targeting pre/post-spawn largemouth on the Tennessee River, or just trying to figure out how to stay locked in during this wild spring transition, this episode is PACKED with game-changing knowledge.

🚀 Topics include:

✅ April bass fishing tips for Kentucky Lake, Pickwick & Guntersville

✅ Smallmouth vs largemouth spring behavior: where to find them

✅ What makes April the most dynamic fishing month

✅ Jake's go-to baits: swimbaits, jerkbaits, traps, minnow rigs & more

✅ The bait fish will never get used to: jighead minnow breakdown

✅ Masterclass in electronics: forward-facing sonar + perspective mode

✅ Why zero-degree mounts and cone angles REALLY matter

✅ The fish that bit while Jake was... well, you’ll just have to listen