How To Catch Bass: 5 Tips From Professional Anglers
Bass fishing is one of the most challenging yet rewarding fishing sport for both professional anglers and avid fishers alike. In fact, it is a very popular game fish in North America and even South Africa.
However, just because the bass is caught virtually everywhere doesn’t mean you can easily fill your boat with this species at any random fishing trip. It requires technique and understanding of the fish’s behavior to get a good grasp on how to catch bass like a pro.
At the same time, you will need patience and willingness to try over and over to catch this species. If you are yet to hook your first bass, do not despair. There are literally plenty of fish in the sea - in this case, both freshwater and marine species.
Learning the tricks of the trade will maximize your performance and success. Once you have mastered these techniques, I guarantee you that it is worth all the effort. How to Catch Bass? So first thing’s first.
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What Are The Things That You Need?
Lures
For bass, you can use three major types of lures – plastic worms, crank baits, and spinner baits. These three can potentially get you a bass any time of the year. The part you need to consider more, however, is the color of the lure. You will need a natural and a bright colored lure for each type.
Live Bait
The best live bait for this species is crawfish, minnows, and worms. Out of the three, worms are the easiest to manage since minnows and crawfish need to be stored in a bucket and kept alive while you fish. If you are out to get minnows, however, the best kinds are the creek and shiner variety. Insects, frogs, and salamanders are other live bait options for bass as well.
Reel
When you go bass fishing, spinning reel and spin cast reel are the two best reels to use. Choosing the right reel between the two depends on your level. The spinning reel is best for beginners as it allows easy casting. Spin cast reel is also easy to cast, but it requires more skill in rotating the handle to reengage the reel’s locking function.
Rod
Choose the right weight capacity for your purpose. If you are planning on catching a larger bass, a rod with medium light power should be good enough. Light power rods will do fine in catching small bass. It’s Fishing Time! Once you have secured everything you need to catch a bass, it is time for action!
The Following Are Tips From Professional Anglers
Along with a step-by-step guide to finding the right location and condition for bass fishing.
1. Know the right time and place to fish
Tournament bass warriors know that the right equipment can only get you so far. Part of the fun in fishing is studying the tides and knowing the best conditions to go out and throw some baits or lures. Of course, this differs from each species.
For bass, however, the best time of the year is during pre-spawn when the water temperature rises to 55 degrees. This is the time of the year when males and females start to interact and mate after their winter inactivity.
This period occurs from early spring until the end of the season.A good tip is to fish closer to the shore and cast right on the surface. Bass also like obstructions in the water. Cast near vegetation, a stump, or any objects that are stuck in the water.
However, be careful when casting on low hanging trees or any obstructions as your line might end up getting snagged.Another important tip is to make sure you release a female if you caught one so she can repopulate the area.
2. Take advantage of technology
This may be a bit of a cheat for some sports fishers out there, but technology absolutely makes your life easier. For example, determining the tides and the temperature is best monitored using an app that you can download on your phone.
At the same time, you can also use a sounder to determine the depths of different spots and drop offs under the surface.Using an app that predicts the tides also helps determine the right time of the day to catch bass.
Generally, however, the right time to go bass fishing is around the early hours and the last hours of the day. Using a sounder, you can find the spot with the right depth an hour before sunrise or sunset.
If you prefer to go the traditional way, you are likely to catch bass on the shallow water early in the morning, late in the afternoon, or right before a storm.
3. Master the best techniques to maximize success
Bass is known as an ornery fish. This means you have to disturb and annoy it so that it bites your bait. They prefer to stay in the cover and like lures thrown in different angles. With bass fishing, pitching and flipping are two of the best techniques to use.
Between the two, pitching is easier although it lacks the amount of precision that flipping has. With this technique, you first have to release the line enough to even it with the reel. With one swift motion, release the lure while maintaining your rod’s tip up.
The idea is to slingshot the bait right to your target and to close the reel as soon as the bait lands on water since bass is known to strike fast. Flipping, on the other hand, requires more experience and practice.
However, once you get used to it, it allows you to hit your target more precisely than pitching. You can start practicing by releasing about 8-15 feet of line. Make sure you close the reel before you raise the rod and swing the bait.
Use a pendulum motion to hit your target location. Again, make sure there is no slack since bass can strike quickly. The moment you drop the bait, you want to make sure the line is tight.
4. Learn to find the best position for maximum success
Some unconventional practices such as casting with the wind on your face may prove beneficial in bass fishing. Although casting with the wind on your face will sacrifice the distance of your lure, it is a good strategy in the sense that they are more likely to get hooked if they find your bait before the boat.
It is also best to fish before a storm since the pressure makes them more active. They tend to bite less when it’s too tranquil. So watch out for the rain clouds and find the perfect spot before the storm hits.
5. Learn how bass feeds
Professional anglers understand how different species of fish behaves. In this case, bass prefers wounded prey. This is why if your plastic worms get beat up, do not throw it away. You can still use this lure since bass are known to ambush preys that have been wounded.
Torn up lures work best in shallow water. Another good illusion is using pink or red-headed spinner baits or red-hooked crank baits. Bass will bite these baits as they give the illusion of injury and thus, easy target. However, if you do not have torn up plastic lures, you can use perfectly whole baits but try skipping it.
You can do this by stopping halfway just like what you do with a baseball check swing. This way the lure lands and skitters on the surface just near the target. Speaking of baits, one important tip is to keep your hooks sharp especially after you have caught a bass.
These species have boney jaws so that you have the better chance of catching them if your hooks are sharp. It only takes half a minute and it is best prepared before leaving for a boat trip.
Finesse Form Of Fishing
To rig up in finesse form takes practice and experience. The good thing about fishing though is it teaches you to be patient and to learn strategies on how to outsmart the prey. It is a thinking sport where winning is a combination of luck and preparation.
However, as this tutorial is meant to prepare you for the realities of fishing, know that there are good days and bad days as well. There are instances when the conditions are favorable, but you do not get even a single bite. A professional angler once said he had to toss lures a hundred times on the same location before he finally got a bite.
This means sometimes you just have to keep casting those lures until you get the finesse form of fishing. This is one of the best tips to prepare you on how to catch bass.Did you enjoy this tutorial? More importantly, did you learn anything new? If you did, try applying what you have learned next time you go out on a fishing trip.
Then, let us know how it worked for you by writing a comment below. If you find this useful, share it with your fellow fishing enthusiasts and tell us your fishing story.
