A Guide to Bass Fishing

Bass fishing is a multibillion dollar business in North America today and bass is among the most sought after game fish. There are several species of bass but they are all characterized as aggressive feeders that are not shy about chasing after their food of choice. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are the more well known of the various species of bass and while the two may be similar in appearance they are quite different in many ways. The largemouth bass prefers to hang out in the southern regions in shallow marsh lands, weeded and stumpy areas.  The smallmouth bass is the stronger fighter of the two and is found in cool, clean rocky lakes and rivers.

Seasonal and weather patterns

Changing seasons and weather patterns determine to a large extent where you will find bass, when, and how active they are. The changing seasons bring changes in water temperatures, affecting the behavior of bass. What bass feeds on and how much they eat will also vary from season to season based on availability of bait fish and their habits at that time. Rain, cloud, cold fronts and hot sunny days will significantly alter the behaviour of bass. Hot bright weather drives the bass deeper while rain and cloudy skies bring them into the shallows.

Locating Bass

It has already been noted that seasonal and weather changes can determine where you find bass, but where do they hang out generally? Bass can be found in both deep and shallow natural lakes, ponds streams, rivers, creeks, reservoirs, and shallow, weedy lakes and reservoirs. While you can find both the largemouth and smallmouth bass in these locations depending on water conditions, they each have their preferences. Smallmouths like go deeper while the largemouth like the shallows. Regardless of where you fish you will find bass of one species or the other.

Fishing with Lures

Another crucial aspect of catching bass is using the right bass fishing gear and tackle and your choices can be mind boggling. Lures are in a class by itself and will be highlighted here.

Topwater plugs: This group of bass fishing lures include chuggers, crawlers, stickbaits and propbaits. While some topwaters work best with a slow and steady retrieve, others require a popping action to imitate a wounded fish. Topwater plugs are highly effective when used in the post spawn period with water temperatures above 60 degrees.

Frog topwater soft baits: for amazing feeling when the fish attack in the surface.

Spinner Baits: An amazing lure for bass fishing. Very efficient and very helpfull for all fishers.

Soft Plastic Lures: Because of their lifelike action in water, soft plastic lures are a natural fit for bass. Bass have keen sense of touch and feel and tend to hold on to soft plastic lures longer.

Subsurface Plugs: This is a category of bass fishing lures include jerkbaits, crankbaits, minnow baits and vibrating plugs. The can be fished shallow, deep or in between and all year round. The object is to have the lure hit bottom or some type of structure on retrieve. Crankbaits are among the most commonly used bass lures; the crankbait comes in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes.

When fishing for bass the type of water, seasons, temperature and weather will determine where the bass can be located. Bass are aggressive feeders easily caught during a feeding spree but they do not need a reason to strike. These predatory creatures will strike at anything that moves and will attempt to devour it until they figure out it is not to their liking.