Gordon Lee asked:


Recent years have seen an explosion of interest in Bass fishing and this has led to many new business sprouting up to ride along with the wave of excitement. Hooking, pardon the pun, new Bass anglers is easy. All you have to do is to invite them for a Bass fishing trip and before you know it, they are now passionate about the sport. Businesses seek out hot interests like a heat seeking missle and we see resorts, sports gears and fishing related things being built – all with the aim to capture this hot market. As a Bass angler, clearly we have benefited from all these interests.

Right now, more and more are getting their feet wet to learn and find out what the big bass buzz is all about. For the uninitiated, Bass fishing is more than just fishing. Having a prized big bass in your hands and the opportunity to show it off is a feeling that is hard to describe. Only those who have done it will know the feeling and once you have done it once, you want to do it over and over again. But after the first bass fishing expedition, for the beginner, there is still lots more to learn.

First, you have to know the lures that you must have to enjoy bass fishing. What the top 3 lures for catching Bass? No real surveys have been conducted but it is generally agreed by pro bass fishermen that plastic worms makes the best lures, followed by the spinner bait and then the crank bait.

After considering the lures, there are still other factors to consider, chief of which is how you intend to cover the waters

in your fishing. Do you want to cover a smaller segment of water thoroughly or do you want to skim across a larger area as quickly as possible to find fishg. Worm baits are very effective and Bass are absolutely seduced by it. However, worm baits tend to be slower and are best in certain areas which will come with experience.

One main problem with learners fishing with a worm is that they do not realise that the worm does not have the ability to sense strikes. And the main reason for the inability to sense them is due to the fisherman using a sinker that is too heavy and a line that is too thick.

To overcome this predicament, a variable buoyancy worm using lead strip sinkers can be adopted. The advantages are:

• No moving lead on the line to dampen the feel of a gentle pickup • Precise amount of lead can be applied to deliver the worm action needed • Bass finds it easier to inhale the worm • It helps in hook setting • In snags, you can quickly shake yourself loose • Worms can be hung virtually suspended over the bottom when fishing in shallow water.

To tell how much lead strip is needed, wrap one strip around the hook and bury the barb in the worm. Ease it into the water

and watch it sink, it should barely settle toward the bottom. If it sinks to fast, take some off, etc. Make sure to use no heavier than 8-pound mono line – preferably 6 pound.

How much lead strip do you need? Well, one tested way is to wrap one strip around the hook and bury the barb in the worm.

Now, gently ease it into the water and watch it sink. It should barely settle toward the bottom. If it sinks too fast, start

again by taking some off, etc. Use a mono line that is no heavier than 8-pounds – preferably 6 pound.

Spinner baits, by virture of its construction, can move more quickly across the surface. It can be bounced on the bottom,

against tree limbs and moved in many different ways in order to stimulate strikes. It is a great probing lure for the shoreline because of its tangle-free construction.

Lastly, Crank baits are great if you want to check out a spot without wasting too much time. They cover a lot of water in a hurrry and you can use them for locating fish that may be scattered.

The most important rule is this – make it easy for the Bass to get to the lure – no matter where you are fishing in. Drop that lure right in front of them! Scientists have proven that Bass can calculate the amount of energy it will take them to go after the prey and if they decide its too much effort, they won’t bother.

The bottom line is this – discover and learn to use each type of lures and find what suits you. Once you find the right one for you, you will really find enjoyment in bass fishing!

Aside from considering the lures, the other important factor is to know the accurate time in going for bass fishing.

The Biggest Bass are definitely caught at dawn or dusk. Remember – bass love to prey at ambush spots, which seems to offer lots of cover for the baitfish. They like to hide, and then pounce on their prey.

These bait fish are most active in the dusk or dawn. When they feeding, the bait fish’s guard is down and less aware of threats, So that is when the bass strikes. Fish during these times for the best chances of success.

When retrieving an underwater lure in poor light conditions, pull in the lure at a steady pace once it is set in motion. This makes it easier for bass to locate and grab it.

Although I mentioned that dawn or dusk is the best time to fish for bass, there is one exception. Don’t bother trying when

the water is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature causes certain aquatics species to disappear, which in turn, nullifies the food chain feeding.

Just by keeping these 2 factors in mind for bass fishing – lures and the time to fish – you are on your start to winning the

game of bass fishing. Once mastered, you can then consider other factors like water quality and weather conditions. Happy Bass fishing!

Ling Tong asked:


Bass fishing in the United States has a rather interesting history – instead of being influenced or derived from the European sport, US bass fishing has developed mainly on its own.  In fact, Europeans – especially the British sea bass fishermen – have actually adapted many US freshwater fishing techniques to improve their own performance.

 

Bass fishing first for sport first became popular in the early 1800s.  While many sport fishermen sought out trout and salmon, it was the sustenance fishermen – those fishing to eat or to sell their catches at market – who caught bass.  They used poles and live bait, and it was these fishermen who “invented” the sport of bass fishing.  In fact, most of the terms, concepts, and literature of today’s bass fishermen have their roots in this historical form of bass fishing.

 

Artificial lures first became available in the mid 1800s as the sport of bass fishing evolved.  While the first artificial lures developed were used for trout and salmon, fly patterns specifically aimed at bass were soon developed.  These lures were heavier and built to be used with fixed-spool casting rods.  These artificial lures were updated even more in the late 1800s as poppers and other types of floating lures were first developed.

 

Another major development in the sport of bass fishing was the expansion of the US railroad system to cover a larger portion of the country in the 19th century.  This newfound mobility not only allowed humans to cross the US more quickly, but also led to new types of bass being shipped across the states.  Fishermen discovered that bass were capable of surviving in barrels, making them the perfect fish to transport on trains.  Largemouth bass were stocked in the many artificial lakes and ponds created by the dams that were built to provide water for the trains’ steam engines, while smallmouth bass were released in rivers from states in New England all the way to California.

 

From 1890-1895, the US Department of Agriculture actually suggested farmers stock their ponds with largemouth bass as a means of sustenance and economic incentive.  The department even assisted some farmers with constructing their farm ponds, bringing these bass to new areas around the country.  Following World War II, fishing became even more popular, leading to the first large-scale bass fisheries.  Even the introduction of fishing licenses and fees for them did not discourage bass fishers – especially in the south where the largemouth bass multiplied quickly in waters that were simply too warm for other game fish. 

 

Another cause of an increased interest in bass fishing occurred in the east.  Many rivers had been dammed up due to industrialization, which caused their waters to become polluted or warmer than usual, killing off a large number of trout.  With waters too warm for most game fish, smallmouth bass were brought to the rivers as a replacement.  While the pollution did cause a decrease in the smallmouth bass population over the years, improvements in water regulations have seen the smallmouth bass regain their popularity and their large numbers today.

 

The 20th century has witnessed the creation of specific bass fishing rods, reels, and other tools to assist fishermen in their quest to capture bass.  These advances have continued to modern times, keeping fishing for bass of all types a popular sport for fishermen across the country.

Cory Threlfall asked:


When watching fishing tournaments on television many would-be professional anglers want to know the bass fishing secrets used by those who are paid to fish. From the time a person latches onto a largemouth lunker, they are hooked, unlike the ones that they believe are passing up their offering, because they don’t know the bass fishing secrets they need to consistently land the big ones.

The reality is, there really aren’t any deep dark bass fishing secrets, it is knowing and using the four rights of fishing that separate the professionals from the weekend wannabes. The first thing bass-catcher hopefuls need to know is the habits of the fish they are trying to catch. Knowing their habitat and meal times, plus the type of food they are probably looking for at a given time of day is one of the bass fishing secrets that help pile the pounds onto the daily catch.

Trees, docks, creeks and channels all are good hiding places for bass, and fishing all angles of these areas can lure the fish out of hiding. Once the likes and dislikes of the bass are understood, there are four things that have to be right in order to become a successful bass angler. Knowing a few bass fishing secrets will help land more fish, but it will take lots of fishing practice to join the pro tour.

Four Rights Of Successful Bass Fishing

While some may consider these right as no-brainers, thinking back on the last few times the bass were left in the water at the end of the day, try to remember which of these items were ignored. The right bait, presented in the right manner, in the right location at the right time of day are essentially all the bass fishing secrets needed. Of course, flipping and working the bait will play into attracting the big fish, but no matter how well you work the bait, if the four rights of bass fishing are wrong, the fish won’t leave the water.

Many believe the spinner baits are the gold standard for bass fishing and they will work well in many locations, on the lake, in rivers and streams, but there have been some large fish pulled in with fly equipment and live bait as well. Crank baits work for many anglers, but regardless of the bait, if the water isn’t right and the bait is in the wrong area of the lake, river or stream all the bass fishing secrets in the world will not help the fish find a new home.