Bass fishing is difficult if you aren't properly equipped, whether you're a competitive sports fisher or just want to spend a fun afternoon with your family on the lake.If you understand the habits of bass and the conditions that you are fishing in, you can use the most effective techniques and equipment to land a big fish.
Step 1: Understand the habits of bass.
Bass will feed closer to shore early in the morning and move out into open water around creek channels and structures during the summer.The spawning behavior can be improved by dividing the spring into 4 segments.Different approaches are required for pre- and post-spawn, and late spring.The optimum time to fish is late spring, when the fish are at their best.Bass will only bite when your lure is within their strike zone during winter and lower temperatures.As the temperature drops, the bass will feed closer to the shore.
Step 2: Make sure your terrain is optimal.
Depending on the weather, time of day and which phase of their spawning cycle they are in, bass like to hide or stay close to certain areas.You can set your cast in vegetation, rocky bottoms, shallow flats, fallen trees, structures, bushes and grass.The bass hang out underneath the docks.
Step 3: You can choose your location based on the time of the day.
Bass like to move out into the open water in the afternoon.Bass will look for shade and deeper water when fishing off structures.
Step 4: When you want to cover a lot of water, you should fish with crankbaits.
In light vegetation, rocky bottoms, shallow flats, and through bushes and grass are some of the best places to use crankbaits.These lures can be used in many different ways.Depending on the depth and the speed at which you reel, lipless or with a lip crankbaits are effective.If you are fishing in 1 foot of water or deeper, use lipless crankbaits.You will have to use a lighter lure in shallow water if you want to catch fish.Depending on the depth of the water, use a specific lipped crankbait if you want to dive shallow, medium or deep.If you use a higher pound line, the lure won't dive as deep.As the line diameter increases, the effect increases.When fishing for bass in shallow water, use square bill crankbaits with round, stubby lips and sharp off noses.When fishing in a 5–10 feet range, use medium-diving crankbaits.If you are fishing deeper than 12 feet, use deep-diving crankbaits.Lipless crankbaits can easily be ripped out of grass or bumped along a clean bottom, whereas a lipped crank bait will hit something and kick.Depending on the temperature of the water, the shape of your crankbait determines how much movement you will get, as bass are less active in colder temperatures.A flat crankbait with narrow sides has a tighter wiggle that is more appealing to bass who won't react when water is cold.
Step 5: When you want to fish through quick cover, use spinnerbaits.
They can be retrieved quickly thanks to their unique blade shape.Spinner baits are meant to cause a reaction from the bass when it is windy and cloudy.Spinner baits can be used in clearer water and in muddier water.First cast close to you and then cast farther away to cover larger areas.Aim to vary the speed at which you retrieve your cast and the amount of time you let the lure sink before reeling it in.Spinnerbaits can be weedless or standard.If you are fishing in a lot of cover, a weedless spinnerbait is a good option.A cheater hook can be used to catch fish.leaf, Colorado and Indiana are the major blade types.For different conditions, each blade type is effective.When fishing through grass and in clear water, the leaf blade is the most effective.A long slender blade with rounded points on either end allows for a faster spin and less water resistance.The Colorado blade can be used when fishing in muddy and murky water.The rounded shape allows it to spin slower.The Colorado blade and leaf blade are slower than the Indiana blade.The larger the blade, the easier it is to maneuver around the debris.
Step 6: Topwater lures are in shallow water.
In areas that are covered in surface vegetation, these are effective.The lures are meant to pop and splash on the surface of the water.Black white or gray work well in the fall and winter.To get the attention of the bass, choose topwaters that produce a lot of noise and splash.Topwater lures include walkers, poppers, wakebaits, minnows/twitch baits and prop baits.Different types of topwater lure are more effective in different conditions.Walkers keep the bait in striking distance for the bass when they cover a lot of top water.Bass will bite when fishing around stumps, docks, bushes, rocks, and small areas that are covered.They are great for fishing.When fish are attracted to the V shaped wake, wakebaits work best.Bass can find minnows/twitch baits in clear lakes or small areas.When bass are guarding their nest, they are great during spawning.During spawning season, prop baits should be used in places with a lot of grass.They create a lot of movement, which keeps them in a striking range.Buzzbaits can be used in sparse grass if you want a topwater presentation.After spawning in the late summer, these are the most effective.Frogs are meant to be used around heavy grass.They are one of the toughest lures to catch and can be used around cover.Frogs and mice are great for fishing.
Step 7: If you want to get a good feel on the line, fish with jigs.
Jigs are good if you use short-range flipping and pitching techniques instead of casting out into the distance.The plastic skirting attracts bass all year.When a bass hits a bait, give the rod tip a small twitch to see if it picks it up.Jigs are the most effective when used in cover or closed to cover.Crawfish are supposed to move along the bottom.Jigs and plastic worms are best used slowly.When fishing through thick grass, use a 34-ounce jig.Jigs provide protection from predatory animals when fishing on docks and piers.
Step 8: There are plastic and rubber lures for fishing.
These lures are the most effective because they are so realistic.Weighted or weightless they can be fished.Any type of plastic can be fished weedless to allow fishing in heavy vegetation.Bass are not very active in the winter.The only time these lures are not effective is when bass are very active.The best time to use plastic/rubber lures is when the water is over 55 F.When the water is murky but shorter than 18 cm, use larger lures that are 4–5 inches (10–13 cm) when the bass are active.It is best to use both rigs and plastic/rubber lures slowly.
Step 9: Match your line to the diving depth.
If you want your crankbait to run deep, pair the correct size of line with it.If you want to get a medium diving crankbait to stay at its deepest range, you can either use the same 10lb fluorocarbon line or lighten it up.
Step 10: For shallow water and deeper depths, choose lighter spinnerbaits and heavier lures.
The weight will be between 18 ounce and 2 ounces.The deeper your lure is, the deeper it will swim.You can add a trailer to your hook if you want to make your lure go deeper.
Step 11: You can use a floating plastic/rubber lure with a light wire rig.
It is important to remember that plastic/rubber lures are meant to mimic worms or lizards so use lines that won't easily get caught in vegetation or debris.
Step 12: A lightweight rod is good for buzzbaits.
The ideal rod is lightweight and has a medium action and soft tip.Bass will often hit the blade before it strikes, so it is important to use a sensitive rod.The rod will be more sensitive if it is lighter.A longer rod will give you more power when reeling in your bass, as well as giving you a greater distance to your cast.
Step 13: For topwater and crankbaits, use a sensitive and lightweight rod.
The ideal rod is lightweight, sensitive, fiberglass, and has a medium or light action tip based on the weight of your lure.It is possible to use a medium action rod if it can set the hook and be flexible.A medium tip is needed for a 18-ounce lure.What type of structure you are coming into contact with is determined by a sensitive rod.When using heavier baits, a 7 ft rod is effective.A 6 foot rod is more accurate when trying to cast towards fallen trees.Bass can inhale the hook before it is set if the rod is flexible.
Step 14: When using plastic/rubber lure, use a sensitive and lightweight rod.
The ideal rod is lightweight, extremely sensitive, and has medium action and a light tip.Sensitivity, weight and holding the rod in a 9 to 10 o'clock position for long periods of time are important when fishing deep water.When fishing 20 feet (6.1 m) or deeper, use a 7.5 ft rod while fishing anywhere deeper than that.If you want to set the hook fast, you should use Graphite.If only the point of the hook is embedded, you can easily lose a fish if there is tension with the bass at all times.
Step 15: Put your bait into the brush or underwater debris.
The bass are waiting for an ambush opportunity to feed.If you become more confident with your cast, try skipping your bait off of structures to get a reaction strike from a nearby bass.Bass strike lures when they are hungry and irritated.
Step 16: Draw the bait back toward you after you cast your line parallel to the shore.
This will give your lure/bait a longer time in the strike zone and will increase your strike percentages because you're extending your bait's exposure to bass.When you don't get a bite, a savvy fisherman will work the percentages.
Step 17: Seemingly fleeing or helpless prey with erratic movements
When using topwater lures, do this.A zig zag pattern can be created on the surface of the water when you use a walker lure.Point the rod tip back to the lure quickly if you want it to glide.The bait should move from left to right with a series of fast snaps.The poppers have a mouth and a tail.Use your wakebait's sharp lip to cause it to shimmy back and forth.Bass guarding their nest can be attracted by float minnows/twitch baits back to the surface.To spray water with prop baits, use a series of short jerks on your rod.The buzzbait's blade can be used to spit and spray during jerks.Bass explode onto your lure if you twitch frog along the top of grass and water.
Step 18: Give the line plenty of time to hit the bottom, and cast out a jig lure.
Jigs and plastic are fished differently.The bait is retrieved by moving the rod tip instead of reeling in.After the bait has hit the bottom, slowly lift the rod tip until it points straight up in the 12 o'clock position.Drop it to the 9 - 10 o'clock position and then reel in the slack.Continue until your line is in.Most people hold their finger against the line while lifting the rod tip to know when a fish is biting.The line can go slack suddenly or go sideways if you look for sudden resistance or bumping on the line.Drop the rod tip very quickly to the 3 o'clock position and pull back hard to 12.Bass are hiding in fallen trees.You can use a jig on brush piles on a rocky bottom, standing timber, thick grass, and flats.The limbs connect to the trunks of the fallen trees if you pitch or flip a jig.The jig should fall to the bottom with a semi-tight line.To mimic the movements of a crawfish, drag or hop your jig down ledges.
Step 19: As you take up the slack of the line, lift and drop the rod.
The same technique can be used to fish a plastic/rubber lure.If you want to retrieve plastic or rubber lures, lift and drop the rod.Give the line plenty of time to hit the bottom.After the bait has hit the bottom, slowly lift the rod tip until it points straight up in the 12 o'clock position.Drop it to the 9 - 10 o'clock position and then reel in the slack.Continue until your line is in.Most people hold their finger against the line while lifting the rod tip to know when a fish is biting.The line can go slack suddenly or go sideways if you look for sudden resistance or bumping on the line.Drop the rod tip very quickly to the 3 o'clock position and pull back hard to 12.