When was the last time you went to the lake or the river to catch bass and came home
empty-handed, with nothing to show for the event except a sunburn and heavily growling belly
that has been waiting all day to be fed? This is not a rare phenomenon for the large number
of anglers who try to outwit this seemingly dim-witted fish. In fact, it is the norm for most of the
"wannabe" fishermen who do not go prepared and at least take a gander at current conditions
and the habits of the elusive Micropterus psalmodies (largemouth bass). Sometimes it is just
as hard to figure out how to catch the fish as it is to say its real name! So we shall now
discuss a few successful bass fishing techniques so that you will be more prepared the next
time you decide to go one on one with the largemouth.
First you must check the weather. Not for you and your buddies comfort, but there are certain
conditions that will make your lunkering more successful. If the weather is bluebird sky sunny,
you will have a more difficult time catching fish - of any kind! But it is not impossible to find and
catch the fish if you know where to go. In the warmth of the spring and early summer watch
along the shorelines for pea gravel banks and overhanging trees and brush that is growing in
the edges or has fallen into the edges of the water.
In the spring the fish will be trying to find a good place to spawn, and there are times during
this period that the males and females will become much more aggressive from trying to
protect their beds, and later on their fry and fingerlings. Also in the summer, especially in the
heat of the day, the fish will become more lethargic and will be harder to catch, for they will
feed when the sun is not as high. This is for two reasons. First, because of the heat and
generally high pressure during these times it is a natural time for the fish to rest. Most of the
time they will feed at dawn and at dusk when the heat of the day is not such a factor. Second,
they have better cover and more chances of being safe while finding a meal. Shadows play a
role in their safety, so follow the edges of them, and let your hunting party find the safe zones
that the fish are in.
Another thing you have to be aware of to be successful with bass fishing techniques is the
condition of the water. If you are fishing a lake and there has been rain recently the fish will be
closer to the banks, hopefully catching clear water run-off which will a lot of time carry food for
the fish to eat. If the body of water you are fishing is clear and cool, and the sun is shining
brightly, the bait you choose should be light in color and shiny, if possible. When everything is
bright in the light, the brighter you make the bait the more likely it will outshine everything else
and be more obvious to the fish. The choice of bait is more of a personal choice, for the more
comfortable you feel with a particular type of bait, the more you will throw it and the better you
will be with using it, so the more fish you will catch with it.
Just remember that if the fish are shallow and feeding you will need to put the bait where the
fish are. This means using top water - the spinners, buzz, and rattle baits to name a few. If the
skies are more cloudy, match the tone of the bait color to the shade of the clouds, the darker
the day, the darker the bait.
If the lunkers are deeper in the water, you have to use baits that will go deeper and stay down
so as to tantalize (or aggravate) the fish that are on the bottom. Plastic worms, jigs, and any
other baits that tend to stay on the bottom work the best. You still have to match the tone with
the light availability; if you are fishing in the dark, such as night time, remember that basic
black is not only good for funerals!
For the fall and the early winter months the fish are really reacting to the weather patterns,
since they are not spawning they will be trying to prepare themselves for the sluggish time of
winter. Fish are particularly sensitive to cold fronts entering an area and will feed heavily in
the days and hours before the front comes through. As soon as the front goes through they
will stage themselves deeper and be much harder to catch, so more patience (as well as more
clothes) are a necessity at this time. The same baits will work at any time of the year if they
match all the other conditions prevalent and the time.
Winter is just not the time to fish. It is cold outside. The fish will be cold to handle, that is if you
should catch one. Your rod will freeze up from the droplets on the line you have been reeling
in from the water. They freeze the rod eyes closed and you have to keep clearing them out,
You have to watch the weather for ice and snow. And if there has been any ice and snow
recently you have to make sure that there are no slick spots on the ramp that could
accidentally ruin a good fishing trip! (Not to mention a perfectly good truck and boat.)
One of the most important things to remember is that fish are very opportunistic eaters. Even
if it is the worst conditions for fishing that have ever been, there is always that one cranky fish
that is having such a terrible day that he decides to impale himself upon your hook. Hopefully
it will be the 12 pounder that you can get some good pictures of - you know you will never
catch a fish like that unless you are by yourself - no backup to prove you weren't just
hallucinating from the bad can of Vienna sausages that were left in the boat from last year!
Successful bass fishing techniques are not hard to remember. Just don't forget that no matter
how good you get you will always have to have PROOF! By rg bear
Successful Bass Fishing
Techniques: