If you’ve been fishing for quite a while, you’re probably familiar with how popular bass is for hobbyists and professionals alike. Your fishing buddies all have a story to tell about this amazing fish that’s available almost all year round in lakes and fresh bodies of water. If you are aiming to go for this fish on your next trip, then here are a few things you need to keep in mind.
What Bass Are You Fishing?
There are various types of bass. It’s important to know their differences as you need to make a different approach depending on what type of fish you are currently trying to get. The type of bass can be determined by various factors such as jaw length, size of stripes, number of spines, and of course, the region where you are at.
- Smallmouth bass – it has a small upper jaw, they have spiny dorsal fins, and three dark lines on its cheek.
- Largemouth bass – it has a large upper jaw that exceeds their eye, they have spiny dorsal fins as well.
- Florida bass– very similar to the largemouth bass but is native to Florida. They also have nine spines on their dorsal fin.
- Redeye bass – distinguishable by the dark spots below their lateral line. They also have a second dorsal in a shade of red.
- Guadalupe bass – these species have 10 to 12 dark stripes. Their jaws also don’t exceed their eyes.
- Shoal bass – their upper jaw does not go past the eye. Older shoal bass has faded dark blotches on their body.
- Alabama bass – these are distinguishable by their lateral blotches and soft dorsal fins which are connected with shallow notches.
Best Rigs For Bass Fishing
Your knowledge of bass will be useless if you don’t have the right equipment. For starters, you may want to grab a bass spinning rod for your first bass fishing trip. This type of rod is perfect for bass as they are sturdy yet flexible at the same time. Of course, other fishing rods can still be used.
Now for the most important part of your rig – the bait. When picking a bait for bass fishing, you should look for shallow and deep-diving crankbait. Keep in mind that bass doesn’t swim on the surface. They prefer the shallow parts of the water so to lure them, you need a bait that sinks down as well.
It’s advised to use a drop shot rig when bass fishing. This special type of fishing is perfect as the bait drops deep once it goes into the water. Drop shot rigs come with metal weights that you tie at the end of the line so that your bait sinks. The metal weights come in various shapes and sizes. The heavier they are, the deeper your bait sinks.
Bass don’t prefer any particular color so you can pick any bait that you want. Ideally, however, you’d want a bait that mimics the movement of a minnow or a worm as these are very attractive to the eyes of a bass. Most pros use wacky worms as these are very effective. However, the bass takes their time in biting this bait so it’s a must that you stay patient.
If you prefer live bait, then you can take minnows, crawfish, worms, leeches, small frogs, and even creek chubs.
Best Conditions For Bass Fishing
Although the bass is available most of the year, there are certain conditions when they are better to catch as they are more active by then. According to experts, the best time to catch bass is just right before a cold front. The slight increase in water temperature makes the bass more active, thus giving you a better chance at getting a bite.
During cold fronts, the fish will be less active but you can still see a few of them.
It’s not recommended to go bass fishing after the rain. You see, bass lurk in shallow waters. The rain could make the water murky. On your end, it will be harder to catch or even see the fish even if the visibility is low. Fishing on a sunny day is okay too as it will be easier to see the fish from above.
Catching bass is something that every fisherman or hobbyist has done at least once in their life. Not only are bass great to battle with on the lake while fishing, but they are also perfect for cooking. You can make amazing dishes with bass. Before you go on your first bass fishing trip, make sure to take note of these tips above.