Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Learn some Basic Guides on Bass Fishing
Here are some Guides to Bass Fishing to become a better Bass Fisher.
The Technique:
The bait must fall to the preferred depth, then you have to shake the rod tip. By this, you'll be getting the fishes attention. Do this for at least 30 seconds, then shaking again for about 2 or 3 seconds intervals, stop and pull slowly about six inches. Then dropping again, slowly back and down and repeating the process. The first thing to remember if they're not biting is to slow down.
Tips:
• During Springtime, fish uphill (position the boat in shallow water and cast to deep water) and use a 1/8 ounce weight.
• Fish downhill in Fall.
• Try to use a Texas rigged worm to prevent hang-ups.
• Fish out the worm and keep suspended 90% of the time.
• Always try to sharpen the hooks to make sure you have maximized your hookup percentage.
• When doodling, it is critical to keep your presentation natural by downsizing your hooks to 1/0 or lower, and paying delicate, attention to how straight your bait is in order to maintain a natural presentation.
• Crystal clear waters can be tough. The secret to fishing weenie worms is to keep slack on your line and "shake" the bait instead of dragging. The shaking of the rod and your light line gives your worm, grub or reaper an amazing action.
When to Go:
When the bass quit hitting during the daytime and when it becomes uncomfortably hot on the lake are good signals that it's time to start night fishing. Night fishing is usually practiced when the water is in the mid-60s or warmer.
Places to Fish:
Where to fish at night is a question commonly asked by bass fishermen. Bass don't move great distances in most situations. Smallmouth bass, especially, are proven stay-at-homes. As the summer wears on, the bass tend to move deeper and won't come up shallow, even at night in many lakes. Night fishing is productive when the bass are within the 20-foot zone
Tips and Guides
• Position yourself only as far away as water clarity dictates; stay close enough for consistent accuracy.
• Try to make the lure land on the water with as little noise as possible. Cast past the target when possible.
• In windy weather, put tension on the line just before the lure touches down. This will straighten out the line and prevent it from blowing across obstructions.
• Learn casting techniques that permit a low trajectory, such as flipping, pitching, sidearm casting and underhand casting.
• Use a quality rod and reel matched to the weight of the lure. Rods with a stiff blank but relatively fast (limber) tip are easier to cast than extremely stiff or uniformly limber rods.
• Cast with the wrist, not the arm and shoulder.
• Lower the lure a few inches below the rod tip before casting; this gives extra momentum for the cast.
• Be sure to "load" the rod tip, causing it to bend backward, on the back-cast, then whip the rod forward smoothly.
• Fill the spool of any type reel to within 1/8 inch of the lip of the spool. DO NOT OVERFILL!
The Flip-Cast; use your wrist, NOT your arm.
• Concentrate on the spot you want to hit, not on what you want to miss.
• Use plenty of scent when trying to penetrate thick cover - it acts as a lubricant.
• Stick to basic jig colors (black/blue, brown/brown, black/chartreuse).
• Use a plastic worm with a glass bead between the worm and the weight for inactive fish.
• If you think it's a strike, reel down until your rod is in a hookset position before you check.
• A strike is anything different (something you wouldn't feel in a bathtub!).
• Tighten your drag all the way down for better hooksets.
• Use 17 to 25 pound test line for bait casting gear, 10 to 14 pound test on spinning (for flipping finesse baits).
In order to establish a pattern it is essential you understand how a bass lives in its environment. Knowing where the bass can be found at any given time or place is something you must develop. Always go fishing with a plan in mind.
Remember that every fish you catch can reveal clues on how to catch another. After establishing a pattern, realize that when the action slows down in the area you were fishing, you can then search for more areas that would fill the same criteria.
Monday, 29 June 2009
Bass fishing 101
Bass Fishing 101
I get a lot of great "How To" bass fishing questions from beginners, and I think it's great that more and more people are getting interested in fishing! I love answering questions and helping people get started. But frankly, it's easier to "show" than it is to "tell" (or type, as it were). I can't really explain every specific situation in this one short guide. Of course, you're always welcome to email me specific questions. This is just meant to be a short guide to the "How To" bass fishing basics.
"How To" - Bass Fishing Guide
Bass fishing techniques are varied as they are numerous. There's no simple answer that will suit everyone all the time. I've picked out two of the best and easiest techniques to explain and I feel that they will have some benefit to those who are just getting started in bass fishing.
- Shaky Head Fishing - This is a rather new technique that is quickly becoming one of my favorites (and apparently many other people feel the same way). It's making the rounds in the fishing tournaments and does quite well. Ironically, it seems to do even better when other lures aren't getting much attention from bass. I have actually made a page completely dedicated to shaky head fishing at www.ShakyHeadJig.com , so I won't explain it in detail here. You can visit my other articles for this one.
- Top Water Fishing - This tried and true technique requires a floating bait, a rod and real. You generally use a bait that replicates an injured minnow -some of them have propellers that sputter and splash across the top of the water. Buzz baits are also a topwater bait. You can cast and reel at a slow, steady pace or you can cast and reel it in short spurts to further reproduce the effect of an injured fish. The great part about topwater fishing is that when the bass strikes there's a HUGE splash. It's really exciting to watch the fish lunge toward the bait. There's usually a lot of action on top of the water.
How to Fish Bass Equals Where to Fish Bass
Just as important as your bass fishing technique, is finding a good spot to fish. There are a lot of considerations, and it's another one of those things that would be easier to show than tell. Because I don't know what you have available to you in your area, I'll tell you what kinds of places I look for in the waters where I fish.
- River Fishing for Bass. This is my favorite way to fish bass. I've fished on big rivers, but enjoy smaller rivers more. Naturally, a quiet, out of the way, place work better than areas with a lot of people and commotion. Just as a general rule of thumb, it's a good plan to try to look for the spots in the river that aren't typical. For instance, if you find a big boulder or something blocking the current, you can generally find a nice fishing spot on the downstream side of the boulder because dead bugs and such gather where the current is blocked. Another place bass gather is anywhere where tree branches overhang the water. Fish gather to eat the bugs that fall out of the trees and they like the shade, especially in hot weather. Downstream of a confluence is also a good place to look for a fishing spot. Fish tend to gather in hopes of getting the extra grub that washes out of the creek, stream or river.
- Lake Fishing for Bass. Bass fishingfrom the bank can be very challenging, but not impossible if you have the patience and dedication for it. Look for schools of shad. Anywhere that shad gather, bass will be nearby. An abundance of underwater cover such as logs, rocks or artificial crappie beds are places where bass like to hide out. All fish like cover and quiet little hiding spots and bass are no exception. The challenge to this is that often you get your favorite lures caught in the cover and can't retrieve them. Boat fishing defiantly has its advantages, but there's a lot of good fishing to be had without a boat. Of course, if you have one, use it. If you don't, don't worry about it. Just go out and fish and have a fun!
Author's Bio:
Ted Thurman has been an avid fisherman throughout his life, but has been involved in several aspects of the fishing industry for the past 10 years. He lives near some of the best fishing lakes in the United States and loves sharing information about fishing with others who enjoy fishing and people who are interested in learning more about fishing.
For More information, please visit http://www.FishinLures.net
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